Wednesday, November 29, 2017

THE MIRACLE OF ANSWERED PRAYER


“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy…”  Psalm 82:3-4 


Meet baby Grace.  This summer in a Ugandan orphanage we held her. We snuggled her. And we fell in love with her.  Daily, we’ve been specifically praying for her.  This fall our missionary friend  wrote us.

“Please pray for beautiful baby Grace.  Her needs are deep and have gone unmet for too long. Lately there are tears streaming down her face all day long.   Her cry is gentle, it doesn't demand comfort.  She is just quietly begging for it.  But she gets overlooked, forgotten.  Amongst the many strong personalities at the orphanage, Grace is often left in the background. When she sees me, her eyes follow me. It's like she is asking me "do you see me, I know you do, please help me."  I pick her up, determined to focus on her and only her. But by this point, five other children are crawling all over my legs. Three others are now also crying...

But today I knew where I need to focus my attention. I put on worship music and I begin to slowly pray over baby Grace. She falls asleep almost immediately. I turn her so I can see her sweet face. I feel a mothers love come over me.  I sense she has never been held like this. I feel her pain. I see into her soul. I pray the comfort of the Fathers love for her. She is frail, sensitive, and deserves all the love she needs. 

There are 50+ children under age five in this orphanage. So the focus has to be on taking care of the physical needs.  Often the overwhelmed hired staff only have the time and energy to feed, diaper and bathe.  And then it’s off to a crib the kids go… and stay. Grace needs a family. However international adoption is illegal. And Ugandan families hardly ever adopt.”

But our God is a God of miracles.  We are SO EXCITED to share that on 11.10.17 we received word.  A local Ugandan family is adopting baby Grace!  May we never underestimate the power of prayer! This is truly a miracle as the concept of adoption is foreign to most Ugandans. 

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

James 5:16


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