Hope....

I sat at my computer, surrounded by comfort and sipping on diet coke, their faces passing by on the screen, one by one, each filled with so much potential. How would I choose? They were all so deserving. What gender? What age? What country? Should it be the one with the shirt that was missing buttons? The one wearing a dirty dress and mismatched socks? The one who wasn't sure how to smile? I could not decide...it was impossible. That is when I made the decision to let them choose for me. I entered my name, address and credit card information....something I had done many times before without any thought as to where else my money could be going. This time was so different, a child was depending on me. I got my confirmation and began to wait.

Yesterday I opened the mailbox with great anticipation. It had been seven days and I was becoming impatient. A baby blue envelope bearing the Compassion International logo had finally arrived. I told myself to calm down. I wanted to rip it open immediately and look at the face of the child that had been assigned to me. I sat down and very carefully opened the package that I had been so anxiously awaiting. There she was. My child. She was wearing a brown and white dress with old sandals, her hair very neatly pulled into pigtails with a flower on one side. She was not smiling, but she was absolutely beautiful, and it took my breath away. Tears welled up in my eyes and the lump in my throat was hardly containable. I fell instantly in love with a five year old girl in India.

There are thousands of miles between us. I know nothing of the hardships that she faces in her everyday life. I would probably crumble if I had to live in her world. Yet, we will now have a bond. We will write letters and exchange pictures and I will be able to watch her grow up knowing that her needs have been met. The chance is great that I will never meet this girl face to face, but that's ok. Even though we are separated by oceans, mountains, and continents, I know that she is being taught the love of Jesus and maybe one day we will meet in our Heavenly Father's presence and that will be more precious than meeting on earth.