My Psalm 68:5-6 ~

Psalm 68:5 says, "Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land (ESV)."

I've always had a heart for orphans, for the fatherless. They are the children of the world that I have longed for years to work with. They are the children of the world that I have longed for years to hold in my arms and love. This week I got to do just that for the first time.

On Monday, I went with Dani, Skylar and Nicole to Hogar de Esperanza, an orphanage in Salaverry (on the edge of one of the barrios we work in and one where a friend of mine from Champaigne has visited). I got to spend nearly 3 hours with a group of boys from the age of 2 to 9. They were fantastic and I loved everyone of them instantly. We sat with them at lunch, was shown their rooms and played a game of fútbol with them. The smiles and laughter that came from those boys brightened my heart and made a lasting imprint on me.

One little boy especially stole my heart. His name is Alejandro and if I remember right he is 2 years old (maybe 3). He has some minor special needs, but is the most precious thing I have ever seen. He was the one my eyes were first drawn to when I walked into the dining room after getting a tour of the place. He was sitting in a high chair with his arms propped up under his chin. He just kinda stared off into space and waited for the madre (house mom) to let him down so he could go play. When we went to the little boys' house, he was sitting in a corner playing behind a window curtain. I sat down on the floor and began to play peek-a-boo. He wasn't so excited at first, but then he warmed up to me. I had him laughing and smiling before too long. And then in a few more minutes he was sitting in my lap, holding my hands. My heart was stolen right then and there.

I'm not gonna lie... if it was possible and I could pull it off, I would adopt Alejandro. I would be his máma if God would allow it. But at this point, it's not possible. Peru won't allow international adoptions for children under the age of 7. That fact breaks my heart. I could wait 5 years hoping that he'll still be at Hogar de Esperanza. Or I could be not selfish and spend time praying that a good, Christian family from Peru would fall in love with him and give him a forever family. That's probably the better choice of the two. But it's so hard. I definitely fell in love with him and haven't been able to stop thinking about him since Monday. It's tough to want to do something so badly, but knowing it's not possible for me. But maybe there is someone else that God wants to love Alejandro. Maybe there is a family that God wants to use to give him a home. Maybe. Just maybe.