decho

this is the transformation of the little boy who became and orphan a year ago. who watched his father kick his pregnant mother to death and then was left at new hope by his grandmother with his older sister. away from the life he once knew, and dumped into a home of 40 other children. whose grandmother left him kicking and screaming in this new life where only God knew what a difference a year would make.

this was the dechesa who wouldn't let me hold him, or hug hum, or even play games with him. who smiled only a little, and never at me.

i really worried for decho, that he would forget the evil his father had tainted him with, and that new hope would change him. and that was my prayer.


and if you had seen this boy a year later, you would not have recognized him. the little boy who immediately grabbed my hand and walked with me, who kissed my cheek goodbye when we left, and whose changed being was just too much for me to handle.


i can't even put into words how different this he is. how active and energetic. how happy and smiley and friendly. how mischievous and silly.

how much he wanted to be around me, or maybe that was me forcing him to, but the time he wanted both evan and i to sit next to him. hearing him call my name and wave me over just ripped my heart right open. and then there were the 43 million kisses i got. we'd play this game...i'd blow him a kiss and he'd waddle right over to me and kiss my cheek. over. and over. and over. it will never get old. orphan kisses are the sweetest kind.

and we bought him new shoes because you can't live in africa and have your tootsies poking through, it's just not right. so we got him these brand new tennies for his active little self and he was so excited and proud to walk around with his brand new stylin' kicks. and when zelalum reminded him to tell us "thank you," he hugged me and whispered it in my ear. and that's when the tears started on the last day. and we had only just arrived.

seeing changes like this makes my heart happy. makes it okay to come home, because when i come back, i know that God's going to be doing something even bigger in this sweet little boy's life.