Waiting for You

Corrie, one of the gracious team members from Canada mentioned this morning that everywhere we have gone, the people are waiting. It reminded me of what we hear while at home. While in the US, we communicate often with our friends here through email and skype. As our conversations end or the email closes, it usually says, “come quickly, we are waiting for you.”

LAMb International (Lynn and the far left and Ruby in the red apron) bring mission groups over every year.  From left to right, Kristine, Cassandra, Debbie, Corrie, Jim and Carl.  It has been an incredible week - lots of hard work and alot of spilling out of themselves for others.

Who Has Been Waiting?

On Tuesday, the team made plans to spend the day at the seniors’ home in Kemin. The seniors were told we were coming the next day. From what we understood, the seniors rose at 7 am, dressed in their finest clothes and sat waiting for us to arrive.

                Gifts of afghans, made by a ministry in Canada, were treasured by the grandmothers.

Corrie gives Anya a hand massage and just loves on her.

This precious man delights everyone with his wooden spoons, tap dancing and gracious spirit inspite of his present life circumstances.  He lived for three years in the home for invalid men and now is here at this much better place.

With Ruby leading the way, the team prepared an incredible lunch, gift bags and an entire day of honoring these precious seniors - abandoned by family member.

For more great pictures of this day, visit lambinternational.blogspot.com
Also, visit another partner - actofkindess.blogspot.com   This is the Wright blog.


Who Else Was Waiting?
On Thursday late afternoon, we all took at 2.5 hour drive to visit the orphanage were our local children had been moved. As the van turned the corner into the school/orphanage grounds, we saw children sitting, waiting for us. We all went in to get acquainted and play games.

Some of the children listening to instructions for a game.

Victor and Rashid....two of the young boys we know from the orphanage near us, now moved to the new one.

Time to celebrate birthdays

Affectionately, we call these "our kids" as we worked with them and played with them for two years in our town. Now that they are two hours away, we don't get to see them as much, but will give it our best try.

                                                            More of our kids...

For What are They Waiting?

After Corrie’s comment this morning, I reflected on the meaning behind it. Yes, these precious people – the homeless seniors to the youngsters at the orphanage are waiting. Not necessarily just for us, but are waiting for people to know they are there. They are waiting for someone to wrap their arms around them and tell them they are loved and not forgotten. They are waiting for someone to give them something and that something is time.

We do our best not to rush in and say quick hellos and dash off. We spend hours at these places where people are simply waiting for something, we hope in some small way, we gave to them – HOPE.