Graduation Day

One day, we thought, when we have our own house and good jobs, once we’ve started a family of our own and the kids are in kindergarten, sometime years from now when we’re well established and financially stable – we’ll bring Gabriel and Juli to the US to finish high-school or go to college. Won’t that be nice of us?

We had only been in the States for a few months. We were working temp jobs as we searched for something permanent, maybe even with benefits. As we tried to get our feet under us, my parents generously allowed us to live in their house rent-free. Oh, and I was just starting my second trimester.

Someday, we thought. Someday we’ll get back into missions. Someday we’ll be in a position to help our family back in Nicaragua. Today we’ve got a pretty full plate though, so not this day.

We have enough to do; we couldn’t possibly help anyone else.

Except.

Except.

Except every time we called home it seemed the situation was a little bit worse. Gabriel kept talking about quitting school and getting a job to help support the family. In every picture on Facebook, he was a little bit skinnier. We would talk to their dad for an hour of everything’s fine, everyone’s doing great, only to find out at the end of the call that there was no food in the house.

Day 1

Sometimes Jesus calls softly, gently encouraging you to follow Him. Other times He comes right up to you with a bullhorn against your ear.

So we stepped out into the open air in the faith that God would teach us to fly before we splatted into the ground. And He did, of course. He led us directly to an amazing school which already had a heart for international students. That isn’t so say this hasn’t been a massive slog at times, but there have been miracles too.

The brother of one of the school parents donated $4,000 worth of dental care so Gabriel could eat again without pain. When he got hurt in gym class, an orthopedic surgeon from our church stepped in a fixed him up. And then there are the countless tiny miracles of teachers and tutors who showed mercy to a boy who struggles with English.

He didn’t drop out of school. He doesn’t do backbreaking labor for 23 cents an hour. Gabriel just graduated 8^th grade from one of the best schools in the nation.

Give praise to the Lord; His love never fails.

Graduation Day

As we sat waiting for the graduation ceremony to start, I looked back at the past couple of years. We now have that house of our own and steady jobs. I can’t brag about our financial security but we’re all fed and clothed. All fed. That kid who came to us wasting away is big and healthy and strong.

We weren’t ready. We weren’t prepared. We did it anyway because Jesus was calling.

We met Gabriel in the middle of the stage to give him a hug and walk up the center aisle for a photo (that I’m sure I sprouted several extra chins for). And then we sang the benediction which totally wrecked me:

Go, My children, fed and nourished, Closer to Me:

Grow in love and love by serving, Joyful and free.

Here My Sprit’s power filled you; Here his tender comfort stilled you.

Go, My children, fed and nourished, Joyful and free.

-Go, My Children, With My Blessing by Jaroslav Vajda

What is God calling you to do?