Once our eyes are opened

Once our eyes are opened, 

we can't pretend we don't know what to do. 

God who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, 

knows that we know, 

 and holds us responsible to act. 

 Proverbs 24:12

Angela     11

Camille     5

Daniel     6

Hanson     6

Eric   3

Mikey     4

Nana     5

Noel    7

Quinn    7

Vijay    4

Valery    5

What do all these little ones have in common?  

That they all look pretty helpless?  

That they are all passed over, again and again, on the waiting child list?  

That they all are diagnosed with hydrocephalus?  

That they are all beautiful?  

That they are all waiting for somebody to take a leap of faith and claim them as their very own child?  

If you said "All of the above," you are correct.  

These children are all featured on Reece's Rainbow, and have all been waiting for years and years to be chosen.  

Hydrocephalus can be a very intimidating diagnosis to commit to.  It's so risky.  The unknown is daunting.  

Many of you will remember seeing the following photo on the waiting child list a while back:

Of course, you won't find his photo there any longer.  God prompted the hearts of a very ordinary mom and dad:

to take a huge leap of faith

and to commit to this tiny little lamb of a boy.  Back then he was known as "Edwin," and his medical description was definitely enough to keep this mom and dad awake at night more than a few nights while they waited to finally meet him.  What would he be like?  What would he need?  Would he spend half his life in a hospital?  Would he need immediate surgery when he arrived home?  Would they be able to care for a child with such extensive needs?  Could they afford to parent such a child?  How would it affect their other children to add this child to the family?  Those parents, of course, were Derek and myself, and I just came across a video I took of him on our second visit with him:

Yes, that was my son.  Weak.  Scared.  Frighteningly thin.  Nearly bald, with flaky, scabby skin and dry, cracking lips.  Helpless.  Avoiding eye contact.  Not wanting to be touched.  Screaming in terror when hugged or picked up.  Looking cautiously hopeful one moment, then miserable and close to tears the next.  Unable to hold up his own head.  Hands so weak they could barely hold on to a toy.  Not that he had any idea what to do with a toy anyway.  To go back now, months later, and watch this video again now, I see how completely shut down and stoic my dear Micah was in the previous chapter of his life.  

I had forgotten.  

If you read this blog often, you probably already know that the boy in the video above is a boy we do not see around here anymore!  Now, five short months later, we have a feisty, curious little firecracker of a boy, determined to get into things, slam doors, climb all over the furniture, and make lots and lots of noise!  

He loves to cuddle and to be tickled.  

He loves to pull himself to standing and to exercise those skinny little legs, over and over again, all day long.  
He loves to scoot himself into his brothers' and sisters' bedrooms and get into their stuff.  

He loves to eat oatmeal and yogurt and ice cream.  
He loves to go to therapy.  

He loves to be tucked into his feather-soft bed every night with his story, song, and prayer, and he loves, even more, to be waken up every morning by his mommy and share a big giggly cuddle.  This precious little miracle of a boy loves life!

I ask that you, my dear readers, would scroll back up to the top and look into the eyes of those waiting children again.  And that you would pray for each child, by name, that their turn will come soon.  That some mom and dad somewhere will answer God's holy nudge and take a leap of faith.  That those parents will be able to look past the diagnoses and see the light shining in those sweet faces.  Pray with me that each one of those children might know life outside of a crib.  That somebody will give them a reason to hope.  That they might have a chance to get into stuff and explore and go to therapy and get the medical treatment they so desperately need.  And the love of a family that they need even more.  
Pray!  

With God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26