“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
God blessed me to witness many miracles during my years of mission work in many different countries. I will share some of these extraordinary stories over time.
One such miracle occurred some years back while we worked in Western Kenya. We finished constructing our orphanage, and the grand opening time approached. We still needed to make so many such decisions with this orphanage. Each orphanage we opened through the years required so many arrangements. Sometimes those tiny details can be the most daunting. But, the hardest decision always involved selecting the children who would come to live at the home.
The Beginning of Love
We determined the orphanage in Kenya would house only girls. Then, we needed to develop a plan on selecting the girls who would occupy the home. We needed to verify the children’s history and obtain signatures from guardians. No matter how many we picked, there would still be more that needed our help. Turning away those in need always proved the most painful task.
We wanted to make sure a new child felt at home as quickly as possible. So, we planned to offer a meal first thing to the new arrivals. We never knew the last time the child ate, so we wanted to make sure they were not hungry. Through the years, we discovered that when a child is hungry, they have difficulty learning, listening, or just understanding what is going on around them. Hunger to the point of malnutrition is debilitating to a child.
The Miracle
One day we got word of a child in distress that needed our help. She lived in extreme poverty with a distant family member. Her name was Violet, and she happened to be five years old, the youngest age we accepted. We decided she should be one of the first children because we worried about her health and her long-term survival in her current situation.
Upon arrival, Violet went to the dining hall to eat. A staff member gave her a plate of food which she quickly devoured. Violet gorged a second plate of food. Finally, after 5 plates of food, she stopped eating. Hunger teaches these children to eat as much as possible when food is offered because they do not know when they might get their next meal. An old Kenyan saying explains this attitude, “See a mango, eat a mango.” This behavior is something that takes us a long time to unteach in the children. We need to teach them to trust us to give them three meals a day, every day. We will not let them go hungry again.
The Lesson of Love
As I ponder this miracle of Violet, I realize something. God used us to build that orphanage long before Violet was born. He wanted her to know how much He cherished her, especially during that difficult time in her life. God led us to build that orphanage so that Violet could eat 5 plates of food on the day she needed it.
The story still causes me to pause and think of how God moved mountains to show this one child how much He loved her. What does God rearrange in our lives so that He can show us how much He loves us? Sometimes it is hard for us to perceive this kind of love. God loves us with a love so deep we can not fully comprehend it. He treasures us and wants us to trust Him for everything. All you have to do is accept His invitation to believe.
Prayer
Dearest Heavenly Father. Thank you for all the miracles of love You provide. Help us to appreciate and understand the depths of Your love for us. Teach us to share Your unending love with others. I love You. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
Grace and Peace to you,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian author, blogger, and speaker.
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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What a wonderful thing that God moves mountains and rearranges things so we can experience His love. Thank you for sharing about Violet.
Thanks Melissa. I wish we could truly understand the depth of God’s love for each of us and see how much He provides for us too. We would be different people if we could see and understand. Grace and peace to you.
Goodness, Yvonne, that tale about Violet and how she ate those five plates of food is so touching. God bless that orphanage and the way you and others serve as God’s hands and feet in the world for these kids!
Her story is one that stays with me even years later. I learned many lessons from the beautiful children we serve. Thanks Jessica. Grace and peace to you
Yvonne, the stories of the many ministries you have built and maintained always fills my heart with joy and causes me to marvel at the goodness of the Lord that you have spread all over the world. The day Violet needed five plates of food, you were there with an orphanage already built to provide for her needs. The Lord has surely led you to do great things! Praise the Lord!
Thanks very much Melinda. God is in the business of doing great things through ordinary people. It still amazes me how He prepared a place for Violet before she was even born. What an awesome love and Lord. Grace and peace to you
What a wonderful story–and a great experience! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Nancy. I appreciate your feedback. Grace and peace to you
I love this:
“God moved mountains to show this one child how much He loved her. What does God rearrange in our lives so that He can show us how much He loves us?”
I had to stop and think about it before moving on tot he rest of the post.
As I read of your experiences, I’m grateful for your willingness to be an available vessel for God to work through for His glory!
Thanks Ava. God goes to great lengths to show us His love for us. It is amazing to look back over our lives and see all the ways God moved mountains for us. Grace and peace to you
Yvonne, I enjoy your blog posts and find encouragement and inspiration in your words.
Thank you very much Craig. That means a lot to me. Grace and peace to you
What a beautiful story about the miracle of God’s love for one little girl and us too. Thank you for blessing me today!
Thanks Patti. I appreciate your encouragement and comments. Grace and peace to you
Yvonne, I love Violet’s story! There is so much power in story to teach us great truths, to show us needs we can help meet, and to inspire us to get involved in worthy causes. I never tire of hearing about your mission trips and orphanages. Thankful for the incomprehensible love of God.
Thanks Karen. You are a blessing to me. Grace and peace to you