Editor’s note: This is the first in a two part series as Jonni Sliver remembers all the children and adults who have been a part of the Miriam Infant Home last year. Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow:
The beginning of a new year is exciting! There are twelve whole months to look back and an entirely new yea
In the Miriam Home we have a lot to look back on. We have seen struggling families strengthened and broken families restored. We have seen wounded children being received by grandparents, aunts and uncles, finding new hope within their own families. We have seen substitute families step in andoffer the love our children’s own families denied them. In 2012 we received 68 children from 38 families. As often as was possible we worked with the families, seeking to bring God’s healing, not only to the little ones who came to us, but to the whole family they would eventually go back to.
But it isn’t numbers that fills our hearts with joy, it is the faces behind the numbers! Like Cleber, who arrived in December of 2011. This precious, now seven year old, had been truly and completely abandoned. During the whole year he was with us his mother not only didn’t come to visit, she never even called to ask how he was. But the Lord’s promises are faithful and true. He took this lonely child and brought him into a loving new family!Claudineia and Juliano (members of the Free Lutheran Church in Bateais, Curitiba) met Cleber last February when they came as counselors for youth retreat during Carnival and within days had taken their first steps in the long process of adoption. Their love and persistence in facing all of the red tape ministered to Cleber’s wounded heart, and it was thrilling to see him jump for joy when his mom and dad came to collect him just two weeks ago.
For several months the Miriam Infant Home was turned into the House of Princesses, as we had at one point seven teen-age girls in the house (and amazingly, without civil war!). It thrills my heart to say that Larissa, Paola, Vitoria, Noeme, Vanessa and Franciele are all with members of their family and so far all have adapted well.
There are some special prayer requests and more of Jonni’s newsletter that won’t be posted here.
