April 26, 2010 (Day 5)

Monday morning!

An adorable son asleep on the floor to my right and another pretty awesome one asleep on my left!

Okay truth is the one on the floor to my left was awake before me saying, as he shook my leg to wake me, “Dad I have to go wee” I said awesome, John, I mean Victoria, I mean Gabriel (ha ha ha) lets go!
Very good that he woke me as the alternative I’d rather not deal with!!! He went and layed back down until I was just asleep again and then,…you guessed it, shake me again, “Dad I have to go wee again” Okay Gabriel lets go (Whew)! We returned and Gabriel says to me “Dad, its morning, as he points to the window that has light coming thru it.
I wisely looked at my clock on my phone and deduced, though technically morning, it was not time to get up. Gabriel very politely laid down and was relatively still for another hour or two until I could justify rolling myself out of bed and starting the day.
After breakfast Gabriel insisted on going to the pool, as you know from yesterdays post, he wants to be there but is very low key once there. We went and today he sat down almost right away on the first step. Tanner was gracious again and did every stunt and trick Gabriel requested. Since it was the middle of the day I wasn’t going to stay out in this “close to the equator sun” long so we headed back in.

When I got in I had a text from a friend who had resolved my phone issues and much to my surprise had also got it all set up for me to roam internationally as well.
This was HUGE as it allowed me to communicate with Carrie and also to post photos real time as we went thru the day!
Thanks KEN!!
We decided to go for a walk to the market down the road. Off we went. While on the way I was quite the site texting Ken to confirm it was OK to turn data roaming on as I walked on a dirt road in Africa.
We went into the store and got a few “guy incidentals” (potato chips, plantains and some Tampico juice). We also had some gelato (yummy) and then headed back for some lunch and rest before heading over to Beacon House.

So as our friends on the west coast awakened we were walking to BH one last time. Gabriel played hard with his buddies while I had a great conversation with Romana and Bernard about many things and how we can remain connected and helpful to Beacon House and their cause here in Ghana. As dinner was approaching it was time for Gabriel’s exit. Whew!

(Walking the road to BH one last time....Bh is on the left. This picture of Tanner and Gabriel SPEAKS more than 1,000 words! It will get printed and put on our Wall at home...transitions and attachements are a mile high and deep when you see the scope of what God is doing just by what you can see in this picture.) AMAZING!

The words will not explain how awesome and amazing this is.

Gabriel in the middle and all of the children sitting in a circle around him pray for him and us. Then the house moms and volunteers pray. Then it ended with Mama Shelter leading them in a song of praise and send off as each of them hugged Gabriel as they sang and sang.

The video of this will require a box of tissue I guarantee it! Even the dog (aptly named Romeo) had to give Gabriel a kiss of send off (ewww).

The day was drawing to a close and we returned to the hotel just the 3 of us. Gabriel had some things with him that he had collected over the years at the orphanage but was very quiet, much like when we first met on Friday.

I asked him how he was feeling and he was quiet and I could just tell he was processing ALL of it!

Knowing and trusting it is ALL good but not quite sure of knowing what to do with the feeling inside as he will most assuredly miss ALL of his buddies!

I scooped him up and we prayed and just let it all settle in for a moment.

I then asked him if he would show us the things in his bag and like a light switch being switched on he dove in and with smiles and joy began to show Tanner and I all of it. Good stuff!

Well once again a day of adventure and some life long and life changing memories for us all. I am so thankful to God for how he orchestrates it all. The people God has put in Gabriel’s life up to now can only confirm His love for us all…as the old song says “He’s got the WHOLE WORLD in His hands”

Think about it…the world is Big, and we are all in it with all our problems and needs and yet…He holds us in His Hands. It is in moments like this that God makes himself so very evident to me, His handiwork is around us everyday in His creation, but never is his handiwork more evident to me than when I see how He has and is taking care of some ONE.

In this instance today it was evident yet again that He was and has been taking care of Gabriel and now He has entrusted his care to me.

Thank goodness He is taking care of me too!!! Three more sleeps until the journey home begins!!!