A Future and a Hope

On August 11^th, 2010 I watched my firstborn load up all of his belongings in his friend’s car. They took off on a 4 day trip to Los Angeles to start school at The Master’s College. As a mom seeing the first one fly out of the nest, you can imagine my emotions the rest of the day. I felt lost. Missing him, worrying about his future, the 4 day car ride, the extreme turn his life was taking. "What this gonna be okay, Lord? Is this the best thing for my child?" I’ve been reading through the Chronological Bible this year, and in the passage for that day was this verse from Jeremiah 29:

"For behold, I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope."

Ahhhhh….a future and a hope. Such great news for Spencer, such great news for Israel when this was written. This verse comes in a time of deep darkness in their history. They were in bondage in Babylon, and things were bleak. Yet God sends a message of hope during that time, a promise of a great future. I can’t help but think of Collins and what her life experience will be. She’s in a dark place right now. Her future is bleak. She has no mom or dad. She lives in an orphanage. In the book that has been sitting on my coffee table for 4 years are these words about orphan girls in China:

“In the cities of China, tucked somewhere off the beaten path, are the buildings that house the local social welfare institutions, and inside, the small faces, the children left behind in the shadow of progress. Walk through an orphanage, and you'll be forever changed. Newborns, newly found. Toddlers in their wheelie chairs. Older children who have been in the institution for years and will be there years more. Little ones with cleft palates, burns, and other scars, visible and invisible. Totally undeserving of the world’s hardship, they represent each of us at our smallest and most vulnerable. The human family is meant to fill such immense primal loneliness. A mother’s embrace is needed, a father’s hug, a grandparent’s indulgent smile. Yet these children have lost everyone at once.” (Mei, Mei)

Losing everyone at once? That is darkness indeed. And yet it is so incredible to think about the turn that Collins' life will take. There will be so much light! A family who will be crazy in love with her. 2 big brothers who are pretty awesome. 2 grandmother’s who will give her indulgent smiles. So many fun friends and cousins, and even a little brown dog named Riley. Best of all, she will grow up knowing about the Light of the World who came 2,000 years ago to bring all of us out of the darkness into His glorious light. The future and the hope that He has in store for Collins Toth? It simply takes my breath away.

We will see her face to face in 20 days!