What do you say to a little girl who says - Take me home?
During the second of our two recent retreats with the Aventura Brasil 2010 Missions Team, these two little girls asked me just that.
One of the nights at the retreat these two little ones wanted to go on to bed before the lights out time. I agreed to go on up to our room with them while the older girl also their sister and another counselor stayed up to play table games.
I told them to get their toothbrushes and we would all go to the bathroom to get ready for bed. We all changed our clothes and then I fixed their little mattress they had for sleeping - one for the both of them. I got their covers all fixed and tucked them in. Then I told them we were going to pray and then I would sing them some songs after I turned the lights off. They had both told me they don't like the dark, so I thought that would make them happy.
So I sang my homemade translation of "Go to Sleep, Little Baby." They laughed and giggled. Told me to sing it again! Then the one said, Do your boys help you at home? I thought, That's a change of subject. Now they are trying to avoid going to sleep! But I decided to answer and said, Yes, some, but I do most of the housework. So then one of the girls said, You should adopt us and take us home with you after the retreat. Oh my, I had to think quick on how to answer this one. I thought to myself. Either this is part of the how long can we stay up game or a real serious kind of a little girl's thought. I decided to play a little dumb and said, Ah, I don't think I could do that. So then the other little girl said, Well, we know how to sweep and mop and wash dishes. We could do a lot of work for you. I responded with a "Oh, I bet you could, but I can't take you (plural). And the first responded back, Well, you could chose just one of us, and take just one. You can pick. We don't care which one you take. Just go ahead and pick one.
Now, I had to pause and pray and consider carefully my next words. I told them how pretty they both were, and how nice they were, and how much I had enjoyed being with them, but I thought it might be better for them to stay together and go back home and tell their family about all the wonderful things they had learned at the retreat that week. I asked if they could do that. They said, Yes! Then I tucked them in again, and told them Good Night one more time.
During the second of our two recent retreats with the Aventura Brasil 2010 Missions Team, these two little girls asked me just that.
One of the nights at the retreat these two little ones wanted to go on to bed before the lights out time. I agreed to go on up to our room with them while the older girl also their sister and another counselor stayed up to play table games.
I told them to get their toothbrushes and we would all go to the bathroom to get ready for bed. We all changed our clothes and then I fixed their little mattress they had for sleeping - one for the both of them. I got their covers all fixed and tucked them in. Then I told them we were going to pray and then I would sing them some songs after I turned the lights off. They had both told me they don't like the dark, so I thought that would make them happy.
So I sang my homemade translation of "Go to Sleep, Little Baby." They laughed and giggled. Told me to sing it again! Then the one said, Do your boys help you at home? I thought, That's a change of subject. Now they are trying to avoid going to sleep! But I decided to answer and said, Yes, some, but I do most of the housework. So then one of the girls said, You should adopt us and take us home with you after the retreat. Oh my, I had to think quick on how to answer this one. I thought to myself. Either this is part of the how long can we stay up game or a real serious kind of a little girl's thought. I decided to play a little dumb and said, Ah, I don't think I could do that. So then the other little girl said, Well, we know how to sweep and mop and wash dishes. We could do a lot of work for you. I responded with a "Oh, I bet you could, but I can't take you (plural). And the first responded back, Well, you could chose just one of us, and take just one. You can pick. We don't care which one you take. Just go ahead and pick one.
Now, I had to pause and pray and consider carefully my next words. I told them how pretty they both were, and how nice they were, and how much I had enjoyed being with them, but I thought it might be better for them to stay together and go back home and tell their family about all the wonderful things they had learned at the retreat that week. I asked if they could do that. They said, Yes! Then I tucked them in again, and told them Good Night one more time.
How precious, Michele - and bittersweet. We know that they probably don't get the love they really need. But we also know, that when God enters a life, HE fills the gaps in with His love, even when life is harsh.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad Michele. Just think how I feel when my own great granddaughters tell me that they don't want to go back home to New Jersey. And one even ask me to hide her so she could stay with us.It is heartbreaking when you can only tell them how much you love them and that you will ask Jesus to watch over them & keep them safe.Oh the heartbreak of divorce in families!
ReplyDeleteSadly we live in a horrible, unloving world. But we can be as kind as possible and try to show the Lord God's love to those around us.
ReplyDeleteThanks to you both. It was a heart wrenching time. Left me empty and drained.
Michele