The value of important people

Ever since I first saw pictures of Leyehna I have been searching for answers. Children like her are hungry, unvisited and often abused. Why shouldn't I hope and pray that they all die and be with Jesus? Going further, wouldn't it be better if someone euthanized them? I knew that was wrong, but why. Leyehna died shortly after she was put into my life. I wept and mourned. I knew that she was with Jesus, but her dying before someone came to love her seemed like a tragedy.

A little while later I heard of and loved Levina (Nadia, neither her real name).

After asking the Lord for answers and discussing the subject with Leon I am beginning to understand. Children like Levina are very important people. Two of the reasons are; 1. God has a purpose for their life and 2. the image of God is on them.

I read in the bible that Levina "is fearfully and wonderfully made, His works (of making her) are wonderful, I know that Full well". The scriptures talk about how God made her "to do the good works which He planned in advance for her to do." I wondered when I read about how he knit her together in her mothers womb - and yet she has some serious physical problems. God gave me wisdom to see and sometimes be overwhelmed at how wonderful she is.

Wonderful are her tiny fingers stiff with misuse; delicate, perfectly formed fingernails and toes. The way she turns toward and responds to any attention given her instead of resenting how long she has been neglected. How wonderful is her soft brown hair and her kissable lips. It is no chore to love Levina. It is a painful, exquisite, glorious thing. I give into it, knowing that I am not worshiping her but the God who made her.

I don't know what her purpose is. Reading the scripture it would seem that at least part of her purpose is to be taken care of by us, the church.

So, when we are praying for her we shouldn't pray that she die, any more than we pray that for ourselves. Rather, pray God's will for her. Among other things, we know that he wants her to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. He also wants the care givers to exhibit these things when they care for her. We know that He wants to use people to be His hands and feet, mouth, and eyes, the body of Christ. To stroke her hollow cheek and listen with interest to her attempts at communication. We know He wants us to give thanks and worship Him as her Creator. "Change us Lord".

Guest Post - Please Read

In response to Jeni's post "A very Important Person"

I would just like to say that I am so grateful that dear

Levina is being loved and that she truly is such an

important person--in God's eyes... and she SHOULD

be in everyone's eyes. Sadly, of course, she is not

something to everyone. That is why she is laying there

in the crib thousands of miles away from me now.

And I miss her. For the ones of you who don't

know: I've SEEN Levina. Touched her, held her. I

know her. I've heard her crying. It is hard to think

about her still laying stiffly in that crib. As I think

Jeni has said, she cannot move her arms or legs, they

are so, so stiff and she needs therapy. She is not

strong enough to even pick up a toy--if she had one,

that is. For most people, bringing Levina home to be

their daughter is too hard for them. I understand.

But please, if you happen to be reading this blog and

you are in the time of you life that you could love this

little girl for the rest of her life-- be it a long life or a

short one, please consider loving her. She deserves

SO much more than she has. Even if you know you

can't help her yourself, would you blog about her, tell

your friends--spread the word she needs a mommy

and daddy? Love, McKennaugh

kelleycrew@npacc.net (age 14)

You'll See

Take a look at this video. It was taken in an orphanage by our friends on a trip to eastern Europe.

What I'm really asking is for people to let God to move their hearts toward compassion.

A very important person

This is a blog post by someone who visited our dear Levina. I do not know this person or organization so I cannot personally recommend it. However, I love them for caring for this important person, Levina. almazgo.com/projects/vorzel2011/blog/katia/

I am able tell you now that Levina is the Nadia of my previous blog story and the inspiration for my story entitled, They Said She Wasn't Worth Fighting For. She is also the Levina from the Kelley's site; www.Ukrainianorphans.com

16 June 2011, Thursday

There are not words to fully describe to you this precious girl, Levina. When I first heard about her, I thought the condition being described to me was an exaggeration. Surely, such a sweet girl was more then the picture painted to me. But no, it heart breakingly was true. Levina is just skin and bones. Because of the lack of muscles (atrophy has set in), she has no strength to do anything but lay. Her body is so tight and she struggles to stretch. When I arrived at her room (in quarantine) to visit her, the nurses were shocked. "Why do you want to spend time with her, she just lays in her bed." I thought to myself "that is EXACTLY why we are here." Katia responds most when you touch her face and head. I don't know what the future holds for her. I pray that a loving family will swoop her up quickly (I don't believe she has a lot of time) and restore her back to full health.

They told me she wasn't worth fighting for

My own, small girl, fearfully and wonderfully made. I'm amazed that anyone could have ever neglected her precious body and the important person that she is. …Before I went and got her and took her home with me.

I take her into a warm bath in my arms, breathe on her face and whisper in her ear words of comfort and adoration. I hold her pale hand in the water and slowly open her tight fist. Her fingers keep shutting and I keep caressing them open. Her arms loosen a little. Most of the time they are crossed stiffly across her chest but I can open them and she loves it when I do.

I taught her how to smile. She is smiling now. Although people look past her uncomfortably, her friends and family do not. We enjoy looking at her. From her large chestnut colored eyes slowly blinking their peaceful acceptance though they do not see, down to her crooked little foot. We wash it and kiss it.

All our ears are thrilled when she speaks. We don't know what she is saying but we all lean forward to agree with her.

The pretty teen age girls can't get a look from our tall handsome son but he drops the whole world to pick up her perfect broken body and tease her. I wonder if he's too rough, but no, they have a special understanding that doesn't involve me.

 Each day we worship God by loving her.

Some day Jesus will come to claim her.  He will say, "it is done, I know that the purpose I created you for was painful.  I know there were times when people said, ‘He should just take her home', but I had an important purpose for you.  Now it’s done. It’s okay to let go now".

Then the world will be a worse place and our eyes will more easily travel upwards, for the image of God that was resting on her will be gone away from us.

.

Ephraim's bees

This is a picture of Ephraim's bees. You can see all the larvae growing in the top layer of open cells. That's how Ephraim knows that the queen is still okay. There's a really good view of a larvae curled up in the cell in the second layer. The cells that are closed are "capped". The worker bees cap them when the larvae is big enough and doesn't need to be fed anymore. You can see a couple bees sticking their heads in to the cells. They are either nurse bees feeding the larvae or they could be worker bees cleaning the cell.

Here is a more detailed explanation copied from the internet:

"The queen lays an egg in the bottom of each cell within the brood chamber. When first laid, the egg appears like a piece of rice, only much, much smaller. The egg stands up in the bottom of the cell immedately after it is laid, and will hatch, lie on the bottom of the cell after 3 days. From day 4 to day 9 it is known as a larvae and feeds upon royal jelly. Around day 10 the top of the cell is capped off and between day 10- 20, the larvae spins a cocoon in the cell and begins to transform into a bee, finally emerging from the cell on day 21."

We got our first bee sting from our docile Italian bees. Zuriel "took one for the team" as Leon says. She was watching while Ephraim removed the top of the hive to check for the queen etc. One bee flew to her face and when she brushed at it, it stung her just below the eye. I heard her shriek and subsequent wailing as Papa walked her in and said, "she got stung!". I then asked with much concern, "by a bee??!"

Zuriel

A little book for Zuriel. Because I don't love anyone else like I love you!

I have a nice bed that I share with my baby sister. Sometimes my mama and papa and I want me to sleep in their room. I lay out several blankets and look forward to it all day. When everyone goes to bed that night, I go into their room instead.

One of these nights before my new sister came, Mama and I were talking about the new baby that was growing inside her. Mama told me that Mama love isn't like a pie where each new baby get's a slice making everyones slices smaller.

It's more like a garden. When each new child is given, a new flower of love is planted. Some grow fast and some slow. Some seem like they are not going to grow at all and then suddenly, out comes a beautiful flower that is worth the wait. This is why sometimes mama's heart feels like it will burst with love!

Mama said that she will not love the new baby 'like' she loves me, but she will love him or her as much.

Naphtali

A little book for Naphtali. "Because my love for you is just for you and I don't share it with anyone else on earth".

Every Friday Mama makes pizza and gives the pineapple juice to me.

I sit on the counter and drink it while she works. Mama talks to me and gives me the 'extra' olives and dough bits. I don't ask for a pepperoni. My mama knows that I want one. We all do.

I don't mind waiting. I smell the tomato, garlic, onion, pepperoni and ham smell.

My sister is grating the cheese when the oven beeps that it is ready to cook our supper for us.

She puts the big one in the oven, sets the timer and turns to me.

"Naphtali", She says my name like it's a Christmas present. She smiles brightly while she says it, looks into my eyes and gives me a soft hug. "You may drink your juice and do anything that you like for the next 16 minutes and then we'll eat pizza!"