What an experience we have had so far with adopting Lyla. I honestly came into this with no expectations. What I mean, is that I had no expectations of her…of how I thought she would act or respond to us. But if I would have had any expectations she has far exceeded them. It is unbelievable how she has responded to us. Yesterday, after only three days with us, she kissed me on the lips for the first time. It melted my heart. By the way…she kissed me before she kissed Kelly! hahahahaha. I point that out as a way to poke fun a Kelly. Truth is, though Lyla has bonded with me, she is inseparable from Kelly. She smiles at me and cuddles with me and wants me to hold her…but she quickly wants to go back to Kelly. Even as I type this she is following Kelly around the hotel room jabbering away in a language we will never understand and she will soon forget. As Kelly just put a pink hair bow in her hair she called her by her new name…Lyla…and she responded as if this had been her name for the last four years. I can only speculate as to what this little girl has been through for the first four years of her life. But she is safe now, under her Daddy’s benevolent watch-care. But I am struck with the awesome awareness that she has been under the watch care of Another long before she was ever under my care. God chose this sweet child. He chose her for something many children born in the third world will never have. When I consider that God in His sovereignty sent her from a far away rural village in Gujarat to an orphanage in Ahmedabad…an orphanage connected to some people in the US who would connect that orphanage to me. And, then the way God’s sovereignty connected us to Dr’s that would handle her surgery…I stand amazed at the love of God for a little girl in a land of darkness. His love for her was so great he designed circumstances in His elaborate plan to place her in a pastors home who will teach her the Gospel. Kind of reminds me of what God did for me. I was powerless, like a little child, lost in sin. But he initiated His plan in my life to call me to salvation. When I pray for this little girl… pray for her daddy…that he will be a good daddy, a godly man, and will portray to her the salvation that has changed his life…and hers.
That picture should be enlarged and put on some very important wall in your home! Little Lyla is indeed blessed as are all of you. Annie keeps asking me when she will get to meet her! :~) praying!