He will take them up...

April 10, 2013

Dear Ones,

  It was nearly midnight and I was drifting off to sleep when my phone rings, this is not uncommon and I quickly answer expecting to hear the voice of one my ayis telling me what is happening and where she needs me to check on a baby.  Instead I hear the rapid Chinese voice of our maintenance man, “Please come there is a child left at the door.”  Quickly getting into clothes I head for the door, pulling on a jacket as I exit the elevator on the first floor he is waiting there with flashlight in hand, “Not a little baby, Ma Li Ya,” and  he motions me to follow.  We push through the doorway and out into the night, the warm glow from the lights of our building casting shadows across the driveway as ayis peer out windows wondering what is taking place below.  We turn the corner into the shadows cast by the gate house and onto the driveway and there she sits.  My eyes are focused only on her not paying much attention to the police officers who are arriving and taking names and information but instead I am gathering this little one into my arms.  She is not making a sound the tears are simply slipping down her cheeks and the light from the flashlight is making them glisten as I brush them away.  She is sitting on a toy scooter three large boxes of clothes are placed next to her and she is bundles up in many layers of clothes, a families attempt to protect her from the cold for however long she may have had to wait.  She does not speak though she appears to be about 4-5 years old and it is quite evident that she is suffering from some form of brain dysfunction.  The police officers have seen this all to often and they simply want information and to be done with filling out forms so that they can deliver her to the CWI authorities and be on with their evening.  They ask questions, is she injured, do her arms and legs work, why she is not talking.  By the light of the flashlights, my hands are searching, feeling, holding, and looking, making sure there are no wounds, no breaks.  I am kneeling in the dirt and helping her to stand she is able to walk to me and then wraps her arms around my neck as I whisper into her little ear and allow her to snuggle her head against my neck drying her tears on my shoulder.  She does not understand what is happening, she knows that she was in the dark and alone but she cannot understand why, her hand searches my face.  And I will myself to hold back the tears, which would be considered inappropriate by the small crowd of Chinese who have now gathered in a circle around us.  The officer filling out papers finishes and asks for my signature and then the boxes of clothing and riding toy are loaded into the police van an officer steps towards me and asks for the child.  I untangle her arms from my neck and whispering “I love you.” into her ear I hand her to him.  He holds her at arm’s length and is trying to decide how he will hold her in the seat without really holding her.  My mind actually raced towards home to men that I love and admire, men like Mr. Chris and Mr. Jon, police officers who would have pulled this child close living proof that they were here to “serve and protect” I would have seen anger in their eyes, with indignation that anyone would dare to leave a child here in the middle of the night to cry in the dark, alone and forsaken, but not here, not these men.  They pulled away red and blue lights flashing leaving Leo and I alone in the dark.  The tears began to pool, Leo understood, he has a heart for these little ones why else would he and his wife live here in the big house with us.  His voice cracked a bit as he said, “She is just like the children in our house…I am so sorry they left her.”  I pulled my jacket closer around me and felt that the cold wind was cutting right through to my core.  Then I remembered, like an arrow piercing through the night, “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the Lord will take me up.” (Psalm 27:10) and my soul calmed, as I made my way back inside praying all the while for this little one, found forsaken, she belongs to Him and He will care for her, He will take her up wrap her in His arms and hold her close.

Grace alone,

Mariah