Peanut

Tonight, seven young women sat around my living room, dining on pita chips and warm chocolate chip cookies, as we shared excitedly about our weeks.  Finally, I told them that I asked to have small group at my house because I was too overwhelmed to pick an orphan off of Reece's Rainbow on my own.  I was overwhelmed knowing that while one sweet face would be chosen, the others would not be.  While one will have a chance for a home, the others face being sent to an institution.  One could have a mama to rock them to sleep, while the others rock themselves to sleep (very common in orphanages).

We decided to go to God in that moment.  We retreated to Him who loves these precious children when their parents have forsaken them.  We asked God to lead us to someone in need, someone in desperate need.  We prayed that we could honor them, and humbly serve this child.  First, we knew that we wouldn't pick a baby this time.  We also decided that we would pick a boy, because less orphaned boys end up finding families.  So, we clicked on "waiting children" and went to "Most at Risk, ages 3-5." Our faces began glowing by the light of the computer as we slowly began scrolling through the precious faces staring out at us, pleading for parents.  We couldn't pass one face without wishing we could chose them to love on, "ooo's" and "ahhs" filled my living room.   Hillary was secretary, and we wrote down our initial names, just shouting them out--14 of them!  Sweet boys, and a couple girls just because of how precious they were!  We swooned over each face, discussed our favorites, until I finally had to say, "We each need to pick one, write their name down, then draw them all out!"

The hearts of the girls in my small group are very beautiful.  The boy I wanted wasn't picked.  I like Sterling, because, well, he is really cute.  I quickly wrote down Sterling's name, tossed it into the pot, then in that moment went to go finish the cookies.  It must have been God's timing because I wasn't there for those few minutes to champion Sterling, while my girls discussed one other boy before writing his name down.  They like him for two reasons; 1.  He wasn't as cute, and 2. He has $0 in his adoption fund.

$0!!!!  $0 for his entire life. 

A note in red under his picture says, "URGENT NEED!  HE WILL BE TRANSFERRED SOON IF HE IS NOT ADOPTED!"

We printed out his picture, and prayed for him, for God to wrap his arms around him, to comfort him in his crib, to whisper to him that he is loved and cherished, and that we will work very hard for his mommy and daddy to come rescue him soon.  To help him grow and be healthy.

We are hitting the schools selling candy for him tomorrow.  Will you please join with us in prayer for him.  His name is Jacob and his life is in the balance.  He has a small window of time to be rescued.  Please pray for a family to adopt him.  Please my for my small group to be resourceful and find ways to fill his fund, please pray we encounter generous hearts.  Please pray for his health, physical and emotional.

I can't wait to show his picture to you!  I now think he IS the cutest!  I think he is precious!  Such a tiny little peanut.   Any family would be blessed beyond belief to have this little on at the breakfast table, to have splashing at bathtime, or saying nightly prayers with.

We love you dearly Jacob, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  You deserve love.

Our fear is that we won't be able to think of enough ideas to fundraise for little Jacob, that we won't be able to fill his fund enough to be adopted before he is transferred!  If you have ANY ideas, any at all, please share them!  Right now--we are selling airheads!  I mean, we'll pretty much do anything.  If you want to donate directly, visit www.reecesrainbow.org, and in the donation note, write: Jacob # 840