Loving Yuri

(The following is a true story from only a week ago. I have changed his name. Please remember Yuri in your prayers.)

Yuri was 5 years old but only the size of a one year old. One day as he was dozing on and off in his crib. He heard a new sound,.. a voice that he'd never heard before. He sat up and looked through the bars. He liked this lady. She was different than the others that came by twice a day to feed and clean him. The stranger was walking closer to his crib. For a moment he was sure that she was actually going to touch him. He leaned forward, gazing into her twinkling eyes. Just then his hope was snatched away. One of the care givers stepped forward motioning that the visitor was not to touch him and pointing to him said, "yuck..yuck".

Later during Yuri's feeding the same care giver was angry and slammed him into a chair violently. When the care giver left the room the visitor snuck over to Yuri to try to calm him down. "Yuri", she said, as she looked into his eyes, "You are beautiful". Somehow he understood her even though they spoke two different languages. She knew that he understood and that he was amazed that someone would say that about him.

Another day the same visitor came in. This day she was allowed to pick him up. She talked to him of God and love. He loved her voice and her smile and grabbing her wonderful, long, curly hair. "God", she prayed , "let someone take him home, out of this cold place, love him and straighten his ankles so that he can walk and play". He didn't know what she was saying, or when she would leave him. He just rested in love and pulled her hair.