.God is up to Something.

I am unsure of what the outcome will be or what the future will look like, but God is definitely at work and has heard all of my cries and bottled all of my tears as I lay my head on my pillow each night. God is up to something that could possibly be BIG, BIG, BIG when it comes to my special Street Boy in Ethiopia.

I don't want to get into too many details, because I don't know too much (although if this whole thing works out like I am praying it will - I have a huge story to tell of how God orchestrated this. Let me just say that I am continuously marveling at the way He collides stories. His ways are so, so much higher than mine!) The first step is to find him and to find out if he is truly an orphaned street boy. Our guides were pretty sure that he was, but we will need to be certain of that. So we have a starting place, and a loose plan set in motion, and someone in Ethiopia to be our hands and feet right now. {squeal} We also have a meeting set up with that person when we travel to Ethiopia. So that we can discuss face-to-face the future of this precious child.

My heart breaks, just as it did in the Post Office District in Addis, when I met this sweet boy, when I look at his sad, haunted eyes. What unknown, tragic stories they hold. I need to tell him of my Jesus. I must tell him.

God certainly works in mysterious ways. Because this precious little boy has lodged himself into my heart just as snuggly as Jamesy has. I truly feel as if I have two Ethiopian sons. One, God is giving me the blessing of being his physical mommy, and perhaps the other I am just being called to be his spiritual mommy - to pray for him all the days of my life, to entrust him into the care of another, to provide for his needs an ocean away, and to love him like my own - though he can never truly be my own.

My little boy, with the sad dark eyes, do you know that this woman that hugged you tight has thought of you every single day since meeting you? Do you know how she fingers the beads of the treasured bracelet gift? Do you know she would go to battle for you and has been pleading for you every single day since coming home?

Little boy, do you know that across the ocean, a very different world away, is a woman forever changed because of our encounter, who loves you and prays for your heart, your life, and your safety every day?

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. Matthew 18:5