Sha-sha and the Little Apple Tree

We left the orphanage full of love, well hugged, kissed repeatedly with smiles and giggles and exclamations of "Come back soon!" Last year the long walk away from the orphanage resulted in the salvation of my interpreter - this year the 5 Chinese girls that were with me pledged to return to the children on a more regular basis. Seeing how they responded, how they longed for recognition and human touch really moved them.

I returned back to the hotel with Hope and a member of her church Shasha. It was her first time to see the children AND CARE EE. Her first question when we got settled in for the long ride through the 5 o'clock traffic was "your are so pretty and so very kind - why aren't you married?"

I had to laugh at her innocence and the enemy's use of the same old well-worn dart. "Well" I replied "a complicated question I often ask myself and God."

I reminded Shasha (and myself) the story I had just shared with the children about the "Little Apple Tree". We all look at things other people have and fall victim to the enemy's tactic of making the focus of our happiness and contentment on things external. "If I only had a husband - a better job - a bigger house - lived in America - had more money... THEN - I would be happy!"

I said "don't you think God hears the children at the orphanage crying out to have parents - someone special to love them? They would surely be happy then."

For now He hasn't given me a husband or answered the simple prayers of these children with more than an unspoken "be patient." But, He gives us each other and joy and delight while we are waiting.

"God sets the lonely in families"