Not the way it's supposed to be...

I got a call last night (on their lunch break). They had a wonderful morning at the orphanage. I had been preparing Lauren for months that some of the younger children wouldn't remember her. Well, they drove up to the building got off the bus and Wai Wai ran squealing into her arms! What a gift! Lauren gave me an update on all the "babies" and sounded so happy! Bao Xin, blind girl with cerebral palsey, was happy as ever. A few of the older children who were in cribs all day when we got there last year were walking with assistance. The "toddlers" are growing up and looking good. Jing, the little diva who was in charge of the place, was doing lessons with one of the nannies! Kevin was introduced to everyone and was playing games with them. The nannies told all the children to call him uncle :) So many good things. But they are balanced by the realities of orphanage life. Heng Heng is gone. I held him on the last day and prayed that Jesus would take him home. He was wasting away. Little Jo Jo, the 3 month old with the lazy eye, doesn't seem to be growing. Lauren said he looks basically the same. He should be toddling around with the other little ones. It was a quick phone call because they needed to go to lunch. It was so good to hear them but I hung up and sobbed. The reality of how these children live, the losses we grieve and even the gains we celebrate are so wrong. It must be a glimpse into the way God looks at the earth. This isn't the way it was supposed to be.