“Joseph, what were you like as a child?” I asked.  He looked at me with a blank stare and said, “I don’t know.”  I thought maybe it was a teenage boy thing and that he just wasn’t interested in the conversation...which was mostly correct. A few minutes later he looked at me and said…”No one ever told me.”  Those words hit me hard.  Earlier that day I was on the phone with my dad sharing a story about our girls and he reminded me, as he had many times before, to write all these memories down or they would be forgotten.  I looked at our 19 year-old Joseph and thought of the single photograph that he has from childhood and the countless milestones of his life…lost.  Another minute went by and he said, “The workers at the orphanage told me that I liked to play with a toy car.”  That was it…that is all he has.

Not long after that conversation, I got my camera and Shantelle got her notebook and we were determined to give each of the children at the orphanage, who we have grown to know and love, a window into their childhood.  We wanted to give them a reminder of how much they were loved…not just by us but more importantly by a God who formed their little bodies, who knows their every thought and who counts every hair on their head, every scraped knee, every tear and moment in which they thought they were alone.  They are loved by a Heavenly Father who cares and protects and loves them with a love stronger than any earthly parent could ever comprehend.  They aren’t lost.  They aren’t forgotten.

 Please read this portion of Psalms 139 from the eyes of an orphaned child…remembering that at some point we were all orphaned and our Heavenly Father reached down and saved us bringing us into HIS family “so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:5).  How much more meaningful these words have become…

 Psalms 139O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  


(Below are a few of the children's pictures and portion of what was written to them, translated from Swahili.)


 
Godi.  You love to play soccer, to play with your doll that you named Mama Kennedy, and help others.  When the other children are sick you hold their hands and check on them often.  You give lots of hugs and have a big heart.  You run fast and play hard.  Everyone thinks you are handsome and you know it!  You love attention and love to be held...even though you are getting a little too big for that!  You make very funny jokes and love to laugh.
 
Joni.  You think that you are 7, 6 or 9 years old.  We think you are 7.  You love to play soccer and you are very good at it!  You like to swim and are not afraid of water…actually there is not much that scares you.  We call you mischievous because you have a lot of energy and are very stubborn.  You like to listen to music and to dance.

Deriki and Daudi.  It is hard to tell you guys apart, but we can when you smile.  Daudi, you are shy and kind and you like to go to church.  Deriki you like to run, show your strength, and eat candy and chips maya.  You guys are always together and you look out for one another.  Both of you think you are stronger than the other and you like to wrestle.
 Neema.  You are shy around new people but love attention.  You love to cuddle.  You have one of the greatest laughs in the whole world.  You are talking a lot these days.  Just because you are shy doesn’t mean you can't hold your own against the bigger kids. 


Wanamisi and Hamisi.  Usually with twins one is shy and the other is outgoing.  Not with you two!  You both have more energy and spunk than you know what to do with.  You never stop playing and running and talking.  Wanamisi, you have such a loud voice and you love to boss the other kids around.  You cry easily when you don't get your way or get the slightest injury.  Hamisi, you love when we watch you play and you love to show-off.  We have heard you say thousands of times, "look at me! look at me!"  You like to eat ugali and mchuzi and chips.  You also love to play soccer and run.

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Kasimu.  You are one special boy!  Your leg does not slow you down one bit.  You work hard and never give up.  You can keep up with anything that the other children are doing.  You have such a kind and compassionate heart.  You are very thankful and very sweet.  One of my favorite memories of you is when Neema got sick and without being asked you ran to get a towel and clean her off.  After helping her you returned to clean the floor.  God has given you a special heart that serves others and brings so much joy to those around you. 

Joseph.  You came to the orphanage with a different name and with a twin sister.  Your sister, Rehema, passed away from malaria on January 23rd, 2013.  You missed her a lot.  Before she died you slept in the same crib together.  Rehema was gentle and calm and laughed often.  She rarely cried.  Shortly after Rehema passed away your name was changed from Rehemu to Joseph.  They call you Sharo at the orphanage because you are so handsome and so cool.  You just turned one!  You are serious most of the time.  You love to be held and taken outside.  You especially love Shantelle and cry when anyone takes you away from her.  You light up when you see her.