"Hump-day Hero"

I focused last week on my nephew, and this week I'm honoring another child. Her name is Abigail. I met her in the summer of 2001 during a 2 week long missions trip to the Philippines. She was about 14 months when I met her, and had been abused, abandoned, and unloved. The orphanage I was privileged to work with had rescued her about 2 months prior to my visit, and she was adjusting slowly, but well. Her parents were into drugs, would leave Abby for hours at a time, chaining her to her crib, which didn't allow the back of her head to form properly. Thankfully, when the orphanage received her, she was given proper meals, unconditional love, and was surrounded by people who cared for her and loved the Lord. For the first few days of meetings, she was timid and shy, but gradually trusted me. She gripped my heart and all I wanted to do was hold this precious child, who was thought to be a burden to her previous family. I wanted to adopt her then and bring her back, but as a 19yr old sophomore in college, neither of us being at the legal age for adoption, and no financial resources, it was obvious adoption would not be a possibility. Leaving Abby (and all the other children at the orphanage) was one of the toughest things I had to do. When we left the home that last night, we walked past the gate and the kids were hanging out the windows yelling they loved us. I cried of course, because it was like separating from a family. Those weeks were the most peaceful and purposeful I've ever felt, and my passion for missions and family-less children was born. Abigail was an angel without wings.