Where is Your Mother?
The little girl walked into the clinic, and from that moment I knew there was something different about her. Maybe it was the pretty eyes, calm composure, and quietude that she carried around with her. I just knew that she wasn't like the other kids who were often yelling on the top of their lungs while their parents told them to quiet down. So I learned that her name was Sevanny and that lady that walked in with her was not actually her mother, it was her aunt.
As I sat her down I looked in her mouth and saw the decayed teeth that where bothering her. Immediately I knew we were talking extractions. We explained to her aunty the procedures that we will be doing in order to get rid of the infected teeth. As I was speaking I learned that Sevanny lived in Peleliu. We happened to visit that island this last Wednesday and run a dental clinic while we were there. Immediately it clicked, she was one of those girls that was watching us from the other side of the fence.
Her aunty looked at me worriedly as she realised that her niece will have to undergo local anaesthetics as well as some forceps in prying out her teeth. As she attempted to call Sevanny's parents, she then grinned and said "Her parents really don't care, they just stay at home and do nothing." Then the aunty went on to tell Sevanny that she will be staying with her for a couple of days because of the situation. I saw a big smile and excitement within Sevanny's small little body, as she heard the good news. Thought this little girl was so excited, I was saddened to hear that her parents don't care, but on the other hand, I was also amazed at the mothering this aunty seemed to be doing. She took care of a child that was not hers even though her parents were completely capable of taking car of her. We then carried through with the procedures and I was simply amazed at the calmness this girl had even though teeth were snapping and roots were being stubborn.
As the procedure finished, Sevanny and her auntie waited outside. Her auntie then embraced her with the biggest hug and the lesson finally clicked in my head. It's amazing how this auntie adopted this child as her own. If you think about it, we are those kids that are adopted. We're marred and plagued by sin yet Christ adopts us as his children. And although you may be marred with parents that don't care or maybe even a troubling past, God can make a miracle out of you, as He did with Sevanny. Sevanny's past has not chosen her future, with the help of her auntie and Christ, she seemed like an angel to my eyes.
Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will - Ephesians 1:5
