A world of orphans

The CAIN Institute estimates there are 153 million orphans worldwide who have lost one or both parents. That number is mind boggling. This weekend we had the privilege of reducing that number by one as we welcomed a little girl from China into our family. Our son and daughter in law arrived home on Saturday night. Sunday night we had a chaotic but joy infused party as both sets of grandparents and our newest grand daughter and her three other siblings gathered together for the first time. She joined with us in an all American meal of pizza and chocolate cake which she wore all over her face. I could not help but marvel at the impossibly huge change in her life. From orphanage where rice was her staple diet to a warm family home. She was held by her parents and welcomed into boisterous family life by her family. Her new brother who is about the same age and twice her size quickly made it clear that she will have fight for a share in the family's cache of matchbox cars and trucks. Her skinny little legs could not hold her up for long but she mixed it up with her new brothers and sisters by scootching along on her bottom. More pizza and walking will soon build up her strength and stamina, she will learn to communicate quickly and it will not be long before she finds her place in the family. That is amazing; she has a family who already has a place for her and already loves her. I wonder how she will look back on this day, a day when her life changed. Will she wonder, why and how it all happened? In a world of orphans and lost and vulnerable children, it is good to know that, at least, today there is one less.