Here are a few things I have learned Tshion during our short time with her.
1. She loves to dance to rap music. We will have to introduce her to our good friend LeCrae!
2. Her ambition is to one day walk the runway and become a supermodel. Seriously, she loves to show off her runway walk. If I could find a way to help her achieve this but without strutting around naked and dealing with the constant pressure to be stick thin, that would be wonderful. She is a supermodel in God's eyes and in ours!
3. She is vivacious, bubbly and very outgoing. She does not know a stranger.
4. She is stubborn and a bit dramatic. It is like looking into my own eyes when I was that age and sometimes at the age I am now.
5. She is smart as a whip.
6. She has the hearts of many people around the world and in her orphanage. They have been rooting for this little girl and will continue to root for her.
7. She has the most contagious laugh and sweet spirit.
8. The most notable thing I have noticed about our sweet girl is her heart for serving others.
That is where I want to camp a moment because it has been on my thoughts since meeting her. All of the kids share things, they have to. That is just something they do but I saw a different heart with Tshion. I saw a heart that longed to share with those that were hurting and those who were neglected. Funny, she IS one of those kids. However, everything and I do mean EVERYTHING we gave her, she gave to another child. Not only that, she did so with a very willing heart. The only thing she refused to give away or share was her pictures of us. We were to go to the orphanage, where she was before the transition home, on our last day. She told our translator the first day we saw her that she felt it was VERY important that we see that place. However, later on we learned that she wanted to go there with us, so we are saving that trip for Embassy where she will then accompany us. She was so adamant that we see it though. She told the translator that it was important we see the other children and see what her life was like.
Her favorite thing to do with us was to go to the little store down the road from the transition home and buy a Miranda, also called an orange soda. One day we walked down there and there were five orphans begging on the street. They so wanted our attention, so we played a bit and Tshion talked to them. They were staring at our Miranda's with wide open eyes. All they wanted was a taste of that sweet liquid. Tshion looked at me with her big deep brown eyes and said very softly, which is unusual, "momma, miranda" and pointed to all of them. We walked inside and bought them all miranda's and their faces lit up and thanks began pouring from their lips in abundance. This is not new, I saw this time after time in Kenya and every time it rocked my world to see such gratefulness for something so small that I so often take for granted. What challenged me this time was that my sweet, 9 year old girl who lived that same way was the one who wanted to serve and give. I could see her heart breaking and her desire to give them something. It blew me away and challenged me. If I was in Tshion's place, I would probably have greedily hoarded everything my parents had given me and the time I had with them. Heck, I hoard my time and materials now! Instead she was giving of time and things. WOW! I pray she does not loose that giving spirit but I also want her to know that she can have things that are hers. She has never had that before. She has challenged me to look past my circumstances and see how I can love those who are hurting and in need.
Philippians 2:1-11
1. She loves to dance to rap music. We will have to introduce her to our good friend LeCrae!
2. Her ambition is to one day walk the runway and become a supermodel. Seriously, she loves to show off her runway walk. If I could find a way to help her achieve this but without strutting around naked and dealing with the constant pressure to be stick thin, that would be wonderful. She is a supermodel in God's eyes and in ours!
3. She is vivacious, bubbly and very outgoing. She does not know a stranger.
4. She is stubborn and a bit dramatic. It is like looking into my own eyes when I was that age and sometimes at the age I am now.
5. She is smart as a whip.
6. She has the hearts of many people around the world and in her orphanage. They have been rooting for this little girl and will continue to root for her.
7. She has the most contagious laugh and sweet spirit.
8. The most notable thing I have noticed about our sweet girl is her heart for serving others.
That is where I want to camp a moment because it has been on my thoughts since meeting her. All of the kids share things, they have to. That is just something they do but I saw a different heart with Tshion. I saw a heart that longed to share with those that were hurting and those who were neglected. Funny, she IS one of those kids. However, everything and I do mean EVERYTHING we gave her, she gave to another child. Not only that, she did so with a very willing heart. The only thing she refused to give away or share was her pictures of us. We were to go to the orphanage, where she was before the transition home, on our last day. She told our translator the first day we saw her that she felt it was VERY important that we see that place. However, later on we learned that she wanted to go there with us, so we are saving that trip for Embassy where she will then accompany us. She was so adamant that we see it though. She told the translator that it was important we see the other children and see what her life was like.
Her favorite thing to do with us was to go to the little store down the road from the transition home and buy a Miranda, also called an orange soda. One day we walked down there and there were five orphans begging on the street. They so wanted our attention, so we played a bit and Tshion talked to them. They were staring at our Miranda's with wide open eyes. All they wanted was a taste of that sweet liquid. Tshion looked at me with her big deep brown eyes and said very softly, which is unusual, "momma, miranda" and pointed to all of them. We walked inside and bought them all miranda's and their faces lit up and thanks began pouring from their lips in abundance. This is not new, I saw this time after time in Kenya and every time it rocked my world to see such gratefulness for something so small that I so often take for granted. What challenged me this time was that my sweet, 9 year old girl who lived that same way was the one who wanted to serve and give. I could see her heart breaking and her desire to give them something. It blew me away and challenged me. If I was in Tshion's place, I would probably have greedily hoarded everything my parents had given me and the time I had with them. Heck, I hoard my time and materials now! Instead she was giving of time and things. WOW! I pray she does not loose that giving spirit but I also want her to know that she can have things that are hers. She has never had that before. She has challenged me to look past my circumstances and see how I can love those who are hurting and in need.
Philippians 2:1-11
"Therefore
if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any
comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death —even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death —even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Speaking of loving on those who are hurting and in need, I wanted to
address something that has been bothering my heart lately. James 1:27
says this, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
It does not say Americans take care of Americans and Ethiopians take
care of Ethiopians and so on and so on. Is it ideal that each country
take care of their own people, yes. Sadly this is not the case and
therefore until that time comes, we are called to take care of all
orphans, in our country and abroad. I feel like as believers there is
sometimes a divide between American foster care adoption and
International adoption. Sometimes I believe people feel as though one is
better than the other. They are both wonderful ways to look after
orphans in their distress. Please allow the Holy Spirit to guide and
direct where a family should go. They are both areas that have a great
need for people to step up and walk in faith.
We so look forward to being with our girl!! We pray for all the families waiting now to pass Embassy!
I'm laying in bed, reading this before I fall asleep from a long night at work. This is wonderful! I love seeing this growing list of characteristics of Tshion. It's the privilege of getting to know pieces of her before the honor of meeting her in full. I love seeing her through your eyes. Through your encounters and stories. Thank you, yet again, for being so open and giving of your steps in this adoption and in learning your daughter and all God is revealing to you and your family through this process. I am so thankful to Our Father for His plans for you and how He is directing your steps. I love your heart. Always.
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