Africa Update 3: On Western Perceptions

I was told by Pr. Greg yesterday that we would be going to an orphanage this morning, but not a whole lot of details about the place itself.

I want you to think for a moment what you might expect, what thoughts run through your head when you hear "orphanage" in an African country.

Now bear in mind that I had the benefit of knowing that South Africa is nowhere near the same as many of the other countries, nothing like "Kisses from Katie."

But still, nothing prepared me for what I was about to see.

Instead of orphans, I found ...

Adoption.

I found the lonely placed in families.

I found six small, beautiful faces who don't have to wonder if they're ever going to be adopted, ever going to be loved enough to be given a forever family.

Apparently the Ingani Yami Children's Village is modeled after the Watoto school in Uganda. If you've never heard of them, you should definitely look them up!

The point of the village is not to just have orphans, but instead they bring in mothers who adopt the children. They are allowed to have no more than a total of six children, biological children included. (I think that number is correct.) The village has built homes for them where they have bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. A real home.

But let's be real, here. I'm a Westerner. I was expecting tons of little brown children, running around, looking for someone to adopt them, but instead found just six little ones, who are totally content in their homes because they have already been adopted. And just for a moment, I was selfish. Just for a moment, I wished that I had seen a traditional orphanage.

And just as quickly as that thought came, I heard The Lord in my spirit whispering that this is so much better. The beauty of adoption is His plan! These children are blessed more than they can know.  And instead of wishing that they were like the others, I wish that every orphanage looked like this one. I wish that every child knew that they are worth someone leaving their own community, moving to where the need is, and adopting beautiful little children. Showing them that they are precious in the sight of God.

Today, I didn't see an orphanage.

I saw a little glimpse of heaven.