Team Hope Thursday

Adoption is traumatic. The loss of biological parents creates deep wounds. Many psychologists liken adoption to the grafting process in horticulture. I once grafted a rosebush. You cut a growing stem from a plant, insert the stem into a cut on the parent plant, then wrap the grafted section in damp peat moss and plastic. Ideally, the grafted stem will grow into the parent plant, becoming part of the parent plant while maintaining its own unique qualities.

Paul wrestled with some wounds yesterday. We're not sure what triggered it, maybe playing with his MIS friends, maybe a bad dream. He had a rough morning. He refused to eat, which is kind of a big deal. At one point he decided to run away. He gathered his toys in his backpack and walked sadly out the door. Of course, I went with him. Halfway up the walkway he wanted to ride on my back. So I carried him all over the Mohokare property, looking at the chickens and the roses and fountain. The he was ready to come home and had a fun day hugging and laughing and playing and visiting a village.

Shelley and her missionary friend Tom had Team Hope shoeboxes, which is like Operation Christmas Child from Ireland. Tom took them to his church plant in a village in the mountains and we tagged along. Thursday was Ascension Day, which is a holiday in Lesotho. The church we visited celebrated with singing and preaching and singing and preaching. There was a translator, who was as expressive as the preacher, so we were blessed with the message to look up to heaven for our help, to be ready for Jesus's coming again, and to always share the love of the gospel with everyone.

Then we passed out shoeboxes! Merry Christmas! If you've ever put together a shoebox, know that it is opened and inventoried with delight and excitement by kids and their parents.





Paul got one, too, because how do you explain to a recently impoverished six year old that he doesn't NEED a present even though every other child was getting one. He, of course, LOVED it! His favorite items - candy, gloves and a notebook with pencils. The cars were pretty cool, too!

Friday is a stay-close-to-home day. We've had four busy, busy days and need to huddle up, just the four of us.

Blessings, Mama, Daddy, Sam and Paul

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