Future Glory

Ricardo Adrian, age 8

Fernando, age 7

Christian, age 2

The siblings in the above photos are 3 children who if i could and was given the chance, I'd adopt in a heartbeat.  They live at one of my favorite homes that Back2Back serves and were on our property for dinner last night.  

Baby Christian almost never smiles until I throw him in the air and catch him.  Fernando loves to jump on the trampoline.  And Ricardo, who is just 8 years old, almost always acts as the father to his little brother Christian.  I often find him feeding his little brother or playing with him or carrying him to wherever he needs to go.  When I was 8, my little brother was almost 2 and I couldn't stand him - all my friends wanted to play with my little brother when they were supposed to be over at my house to play with me.  Looking back, I feel pretty selfish - but is an 8 year old supposed to want to take care of their baby brother?  Last night, right before this children's home left our property, I saw Ricardo - who in my mind is a little kid himself - hug baby Christian and pick him up and make sure his shoes were on and that he got on the bus with everyone else.  I see him do this every time I'm at this home and my heart just melts and I often have to walk away to hide my tears.  Why is an 8 year old boy a caregiver?  

There are 148 million orphans worldwide today and only 8 million of them live in institutions like the orphanages we serve here in Monterrey.  That leaves another 140 million out on the streets or the head of the household in some shack somewhere to fend for their younger siblings.   I can picture millions of 7 and 8 year olds acting as a father to their baby brothers just like Ricardo does everyday with no choice in the matter.  

I absolutely love these 3 little boys and when I hold baby Christian or feed him lunch myself so that Ricardo doesn't have to, I wonder what could the future hold for them?  And I'm comforted by Romans 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the GLORY that is to be revealed to us." -- When Christ comes back and like in Revelation 21:4 says Christ "will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the order of things has passed away."  Then God says, "I am making everything new!" 

There will be a day with no more suffering, no more pain, no more orphans.  This world is not our home.  God is preparing something far better for us and for these sweet little boys.