Suffer the little children

Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.  Mark 10:14

Today started out like a normal Sunday and then proceeded to turn into a fun, productive day...until...

Valjean and I slept in (YAY) and went to church at Cristo Redentor.  As always it is such a beautiful experience to worship with our Honduran brothers and sisters in Christ.  They always remember me and give me such a warm welcome.  After church, Valjean, Judith and I went to lunch, then shopping for lamps.  After a long afternoon, Valjean and I were happy to get home, kick off our shoes and relax. We were racing to see who could get in our PJs first!  But then... brrrriiiinng goes my cell phone.  It is Suzy.  Maribel called her in hysterics asking her to meet her in town at a police station and take the children. 

(Back story:  Maribel is Lucy's birth mother.  Maribel is a young woman, very troubled from a horrific life to date.  Just about everything you can think of has happened to Maribel, including being sold twice as a very young child.  After Lucy, she had Fernando (3) and Amanda Susana (8 mos.)  Maribel accepted Jesus one evening last year at Casa LAMB.  She is very quixotic.  I love her deeply, worry about her constantly, and pray for her always.)

So, Suzy picked me up and off we went to find Maribel and the children, not sure what was happeing with Maribel, if we would be able to take the children, or what would happen next.  Maribel met us on the corner outside the police station. We pulled up behind a police car and I jumped out.  Maribel fell into my arms sobbing.  I held her as I would a small child repeating over and over that I love her.  Suzy joined us and Maribel handed me a screaming Amandita.  Fernando clung to his mother, obviously confused and frightened.  Both children were absolutely filthy.  Amandita didn't have a diaper on, Fernando had no underwear or socks and clothes that were too big.  Suzy spoke with Maribel as they both told me to get Fernando in the car.  He started screaming and fighting at that point.  We both gave Maribel some money (thanks be to God I had just gone to the ATM) and jumped in the car and took off with the screaming children. 

When we got to Casa LAMB, we wrestled the children in the house and Suzy went back to find Maribel and buy some supplies.  Fernando stood sentry by the front door, sobbing, watching for Suzy to return.  Little Amandita squirmed and sobbed.  She looks like she is about 5 months, no teeth yet but strong as can be.  We wiped them off with washcloths and replaced their filthy clothes with a couple of my tee shirts. 

Then the electricity went off.

Finally, Suzy returned to Fernando's great relief.   Amandita was unmoved and continued to climb all over Valjean with her piercing cries (Amandita's, not Valjean's!)  We struggled a diaper and a new sleeper on Amandita, handed her a bottle, and put her down in a portacrib we keep for just this kind of day.  She fell asleep almost immediately.   Fernando is at Suzy's eating quietly.

We learned that Maribel was at the police to "denounce" the man she had been staying with (brother in law?) because he beats them.   He has threatened to kill her. 

What happens next?  Not sure.  I pray that Maribel will place her fingerprint on the paper giving us custody of the children.  She deeply loves them and knows she can't care for them but giving them to us is an excruciating decision.  Until then, Fernando will be loved at Suzy's and Amandita has two abuelas (grandmothers) already deeply in love with her at Casa LAMB.

And the lights are back on.

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:16