Will You Be My Family?

Written by my dear friend Julia Nalle

Reading this story is very emotional for me because it is like reading another's story.   Hard to believe we have been so blessed to be able to soon call this young man "our son".  Oh how that brings tears of joy to my eyes and warms my heart.  I love this boy as if he were my own from the day he was born. God is faithful, God is merciful and God is good.

Will You Be My Family?

 

He got tired of waiting.

 

Orphaned at age five.

 

Waiting.

Waiting.

 

Nine years waiting.

 

Each night the longing for a family burned deep within his soul.

 

But no one ever came.

 

He got tired of waiting.

 

He got tired of hoping that someone out there would find him.

 

So he took matters in his own hands.

 

With the little stipend he received from the government he bought a phone. 

 

He bought a data card to get internet.

 

He began to search.

 

For a family.

 

Reaching out - making inquiries.  Hoping.  Longing.

 

He sent out HUNDREDS OF E-MAILS looking for a family.

 

His search led him to a family with three adopted treasures.

 They had recently crossed the ocean to adopt three more older boys.  They had recently had their hearts broken by those three boys.  They had recently come home weary and wrung out and convinced they could never ever put themselves through that again even though they had one referral left.  One piece of paper that gave them the right to seek out one more child.  They put that paper away and closed the door. Done.  No more.  It was over.

 

This was the family he found.

 

A broken, bruised family.

 

He sent them an e-mail.

 

He was an orphan boy from the same country that had just broken their hearts.

 

An orphan boy pleading with them for a family.

 

At first he just shyly asked them to help him find a family.

 

They received his e-mail with doubt....skepticism.  Orphans don't find families through the internet.  They don't advocate for themselves. Was he scamming them?  What were his real motives?  They began to question him.  Over and over.  He answered every question.  Honestly.  Openly.  They asked more questions.  Their hearts steeled against this child.  The bruising still fresh and raw.  A month of questions.  Doubt.  They were brutal with their inquires.  Requirements.  Challenges.  Not wanting to advocate for him unless they were sure.  Positively sure this boy would not bruise anyone as they had just been bruised.  He responded to each request with open willingness.  Shared his faith.  His love for the Savior.  His desire to change. 

 

Everything they requested.  required.  demanded.  He agreed.

 

He didn't go away.

 

He refused to go away.

 

Straight and steady and determined he stood strong. 

 

And after a month in which they threw at him every single question they could think to ask, he asked them HIS question.

 

His one whispered question.

 

Bravely.  With a courage that is rare and priceless.

 

Will you be my family?

 

WILL YOU BE MY FAMILY?

 

He chose them.

 

He wanted them.

 

They had one piece of paper for his country.

 

They had no money.

 

They had little faith.

 

Just a scrap.

 

A tiny scrap of faith.

 

But.... his whispered plea breaking through their resolve - finding that scrap of faith and resting there.

 

Yes.

 

Yes.

 

Yes they whispered back.

 

Yes.

 

I met him while I was across the ocean.

 

This amazingly brave boy who chose his family.

He was in the capital city with his soon to be Mama to get medical tests.

 

She had just met him the day before.

 

He was fresh out of his internat dressed in clothes and a jacket that provided him little protection against the freezing weather.  It was bitter cold.

 

We went shopping in the outside markets to find items to auction to help cover his ransom.  We were also looking for warm clothes to buy.

 

I was wrapped up in scarves and gloves and a heavy coat and two pairs of socks and despite all of that I could NOT feel my feet.

Gloveless and freezing he stood quietly outside waiting patiently while we shopped.  But the vendors selling warm clothes had closed up their shops.  Desperate we began to ask if anyone had gloves for sale.  One man saw the orphan boy standing in his thin clothes.  He removed his gloves and gave them to him.  I was stunned.  Wanted to weep but the cold was biting and tears would have frozen on my cheeks.  I took him inside.  David and I.  Into the café to get warm while his Mama shopped for his ransom.  I pointed at the menu and wagged my finger for him to get hot drink.  Hot food.  He shook his head but I wasn't taking no.  Order. He obeyed.  Tea.  Pasta.  His eyes darting over and over to the door.  Waiting for Mama to come in.  Eating but worried.  I offered comforting words to this boy who was oh so brave.  He knew about abandonment.  He knew about loss.  We waited. 

 

Finally Mama came bursting in.

 

Mama with her energy and her laughter and the easy way she grabbed her son and wrapped her arms around his thin shoulders and pulled him towards her.  Not letting go.  Not letting go.  Drinking coffee and laughing and talking with her arm draped over his shoulders. 

Bringing peace to his eyes.  Calm.  Each time he would look at her a smile would burst forth. 

She pulled out a coat from her bags.

 

A brand new coat.  Black.  Warm. Beautiful.

From the vendor.

 

To the orphan boy.

 

I cried in the café.

 

The kindness of strangers in a world of poverty and need.

 

This boy.

 

With his eyes.

 

Windows into his soul.

 

Beautiful.  Gentle.  Open.  Honest.  Rare.

 

He stole my heart.

 

David.

 

Eating and shopping and walking the streets.

He stole my heart.

 

Watching him.  Seeing within his eyes the reason why they found that scrap of faith and jumped.

 

Marveling at the reality that if the three boys had said yes then he would still be lost.  The road that led to them was the road to him.

 

Wondering at that.  Struggling with it in my heart. 

 

Grateful that I don't have to figure it all out. 

 

Beyond thankful that I get to be a tiny part of his adoption story.

 

He stole my heart.

This child so brave.  So courageous.

 

They still need to raise his ransom.

God has provided much for them.

 

They still need more.  Around $8,000 more.  Their process is outrageous.  Because they had that one piece of paper - there was no waiting.  They committed to him and basically boarded a plane.  Insane. 

 

But he is worth it.

 

He is so worth it.

 

Please would you consider helping? 

 

Be a part of this most precious and amazing story.

 

If you are on Facebook CLICK HERE to get to Nicole's auction page to help bring David home. I helped Nicole pick some of those items out in the freezing bitter cold in the capital city.  For David.  Who is so very much worth it! 

 

Go bid.  Please!! 

 

Or just give.

 

A donor has offered a $100.00 matching grant for David (This grant will be reached when his grant account reaches $8715) .  It's a wonderful start.  Can you help them match it and go way beyond??

 

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION

 

 For David.

 

Who did what few orphans have ever done.  He picked his parents.

 

He chose the Dewberrys.

 

Who turned around and chose him.

 

And that, my friends, is one of the stories of my trip that was very fun to tell!!

 

 

P.S.

 

The same donor who has offered the $100.00 matching grant has also offered a $50.00 matching grant to my sweet Ruslan. (The grant is matched when his account reaches $8,214).

 

Ruslan needs a family.  He doesn't have a cell phone or a data card.  He just has us.  Our voices. Our prayers.  Please someone reading this consider adopting Ruslan.  Please!!!