A heavy heart.

I told Zach I didn’t want to write this week. Selfishly I wanted my blog this week to be about the miraculous recovery of a little girl that just came into our lives about 2 weeks ago. I wanted to write about how she got up and walked right out of that hospital on her own two feet. How she got to go back to her buddies in the Margibi One orphanage that have missed her while she’s gone. I looked forward to that lucky sponsor that would get to pick Theresa’s face out of the pictures so that they could give her a more fulfilled life, more time to just be a kid. She has had such a hard hard life leading up to this, this moment where she was so sick, lying in a hospital bed, with doctors not really knowing what the outcome would be.

But I decided to write today for Theresa, on her behalf. To tell you that she is no longer with us on this Earth. That her spirit has left that tiny body and she is now sitting on the lap of Jesus in Heaven. She is now able to run, play, and laugh. Her body is not struggling through a day here anymore. 

She passed with her caretaker, Doris, from the orphanage by her side. She has had many visitors in the last 11 days she has been laying in her hospital bed. People who love her and even though she may have not fully known it at the time, I know she knows it now. She is so so loved. 

Although I wanted that story of that miraculous recovery for Theresa, her story is going to go so much further than that. Her story will live on through every child Orphan Aid, Liberia serves. Her story is going to live on through all the children that get the care they need when they need it. I don’t know if Theresa’s case would have been any different had she gotten to a more equipped hospital sooner. She was very very sick. But what I do know is that she will be a guardian angel for a lot of other kids that may find themselves in the same position.

I don’t know if Zach knew exactly what this entire process would entail, I think we both just thought things may end differently. But his name was on the paperwork in charge of her little body if she passed. He, along with Mulbah, Doris, and another woman drove with Theresa’s body to a burial site to place her body in the ground and give her a proper burial. Zach was given the honor of saying the final prayer as they lowered her into her final resting place. A tiny little body wrapped in a bright white sheet. A sobering experience, but one that will change you, and motivate you to try and BE the change. 

This entire process has been another huge learning experience. I am hopeful it may be the only death that we have to endure while here but in a place when the needs are so great it may not be. But we are going to do our best to continue fighting for these children and giving them everything they deserve and we hope you will come along side us and do the same. 

We are grateful that my mom is here during this time so Zach could fully give himself to this entire process. Next week I’ll write more on moms trip and our experiences in Gbarnga this past weekend. 

Please continue praying for the Mother, caretakers, and friends of Theresa at her orphanage. Although she was fairly knew to the orphanage they came to love her and care for her just like they would their own children, or sister. Pray for the staff of Orphan Aid, Liberia in Liberia and in Georgia. 

My momma heart was broken today but I find peace in knowing that little Theresa will never feel alone again.