Waiting

My son waits every day in this spot. Every day around five o'clock he is drawn like a magnet, pulls up the blinds and waits.  He can't tell time, but something in him knows.  He is three years old and he has been doing his routine without breaking it since he could pull himself up, barely reaching his little fingers to the windowsill, standing on tip-toes, waiting.  Donovan is waiting for his Daddy to pull up in his truck, and the moment he does, well, lets just say a hullabaloo ensues.  Donovan will simultaneously break out in a huge smile, yell "DADDY!!!!" as loud as he can, turn and run for the back door, and the second that door opens he leaps at his dad.

Some days, he waits and waits and waits.  My husband travels for business and some nights, no matter how long Donovan waits, daddy just isn't going to drive up.  Its okay, we have a routine.  I go to him and explain that Daddy is away for a few days and we will call him.  He loves me too, but the disappointment stings.

My children are lucky enough to have whether or not Daddy will be home for dinner, as their biggest worry.  They have everything they need, and some of the things they want.  We have dedicated ourselves to making them feel secure.  They KNOW we love them.  They are safe and at peace in that knowledge.  They know that they will have food to eat, and will have a cozy place to sleep.  They know that if they aren't feeling good we will whisk them off to the doctor.  They are completely and utterly at peace.

Unfortunately there are children all over the world who do not have that.  They wait for that security and provision.  They wait, and hope and dream.  And then wait some more.  Thanks to Compassion International, children living in poverty have the chance to eat, go to school, and receive medical care.  But they are waiting.  Waiting for someone to choose them.  I imagine the sting of watching other kids you know be chosen and sponsored is very painful.  I'm sure they want to put on a happy face and be happy for their friends, but inside are holding back tears that they weren't chosen.

Children all over the world are hoping for a chance at life.  Their moms and dads work hard  but aren't able to give it to them.  You can be the one who answers their silent wishes at night.  God can use you, to answer the prayers and dreams of the kids, and of the moms and dads who are heartbroken when they can't feed their children.

Watch this one minute video to see what it is like for them.  Waiting.

Sponsor a Waiting Child from Compassion International on Vimeo.

Please visit Compassion International and sponsor a child who has been waiting for hope.

What was the last thing that you waited for with breathless anticipation? Mine was as silly as waiting for some lemon cookies to come out of the oven! Share yours in the comment section.