Starfish....an incredible place!

We got up early today to go up and meet the babies upstairs--Amanda has 19 special needs babies right now. It is amazing what a little love can do. She puts the children FIRST....they are HER FOCUS and PRIORITY! And is shows....happy, healthy, chunky kids that are attached to her and to the nannies. They are warming up to us, slowly but surely. And we are loving it! Our path the last week has been step and rugged...today, our devotional read "Rest in me," which is exactly what we are doing at Starfish.
It is difficult to express the emotions our team has experienced over the last week. I have never felt so many highs and lows in such a short period. I am not certain I can fully process it all yet---it seems so easy to love the children you see in the Starfish pictures, but, remember, Amanda's babies come from the orphanage. She takes on the sickest children, the "least of the least" by the view of the orphanage, those with no hope, who have been written off to die. Those like the kids we grew to love in Hohhot. And look what happens with simple LOVE and CARE.... and proper attention. All of Amanda's babies will eventually be adopted, but few to none from Hohhot will. Why? Because she cares.
Each of us on this trip has felt a certain passion this week, and my prayer is that we do not forget it when we get home. It is so easy to slip back into the routine of daily life, and bury one's passions. My hope is that we each strive to make a continued difference, by whatever means we can. There is so much one can do---everyone can do something to help those unloved, those without someone to stand up for them, those without a voice, those without a momma or a daddy to kiss them goodnight, and tell them good job, to be there when they are hurt, or they are happy, to share life with. Everyone can do something....
When we asked Amanda how she did it the first several months (6 special needs kids and just her), she answers that she was really tired, but did what her babies needed. I am reminded of a quote from Teri Coley's child trying to convince her Mom to adopt again "A tired Momma is better than no Momma."
Thank you for reading this blog--I hope you have felt your heart tugged in some direction. Please take time to listen to it, and think what you can do. I agree, adoption is not for everyone, and it is also not the only way to help....
Just think about it ,pray about it....

Love,
Eve