Jaimes

First it was Jackson who left, then it was Tata who was taken from here, today it was Jaimes.  After the departures of Jackson and Tata, I learned to cherish every day with the boys here because I never quite know when it will be my last and they will be gone.  After the events of this afternoon, I know that I am a long way from learning this lesson completely.  I’m also learning that even when I attempt to treasure each moment I have with these boys, it doesn’t make it any easier when they leave, in fact, it makes it that much harder.  When Jaimes first left the orphanage back in February, he had run away after breaking into our house and stealing our things and we were left feeling shocked and sad.  Today, Jaimes is gone again, except this time he left under much different circumstances, but we are still left feeling shocked and sad. 

This afternoon was like any other, I was helping Marcela in the office when we saw three ladies arrive at the orphanage.  I assumed they were social workers, but something about their mannerisms gave me a bad feeling about the purpose of their visit.  They came into the office and started talking with Marcela as I listened intently desperately wishing I understood Portuguese better.  Even with my limited Portuguese, I understood that they were here to take Jaimes and when I heard this, I desperately hoped I had misunderstood what they were saying.  However, I did indeed interpret it correctly and I found myself walking with Marcela up to Jaimes’ room, gathering his things, putting them in a bag, and returning in a daze to the three social workers all the while trying to remind myself to breathe.  While we were gathering Jaimes’ belongings, Gerson had gone to pick him up from school.  Once he came back from school, hugs were exchanged, goodbyes were said, tears were shed and just like that, in less than an hour, Jaimes was ripped from our lives and taken to live with an aunt in Tres Pontas who all of a sudden is interested in having him live with her. 

While it is hard to see Jaimes go and I still can’t quite comprehend the fact that he is gone for good, I have so very many reasons to be thankful for the time that I had with Jaimes both before he ran away in February and after he was returned in April.  One of those reasons far surpasses all the others though and to explain why let me take you back to the night of May 7^th.  That evening I was helping Marcela in the homework room like usual.  There were four boys left in the room, Jaimes, Alan, Bruno, and Reinaldo.  All of the boys had finished their homework except for Jaimes who was working on his Algebra with the help of everyone else.  They were all chatting with Marcela and I wasn’t understanding much of the conversation (which is pretty typical J) when I realized that the conversation had gone in a more serious direction.  Even though I didn’t understand most of the words that were being said, I knew that they were talking about God and when Marcela started drawing a cross on the paper, I realized that she was explaining the message of salvation to these boys.  I began to pray, watch, and listen carefully.  What I saw unfold before me could be described as nothing less than a miracle as I had the absolute privilege and blessing of witnessing these four boys, who have come from every walk of life imaginable, ask Christ to be their personal Lord and Savior. 

My prayer when Jaimes returned in April was that he would know he was forgiven and loved by us, but more than that, I prayed that the forgiveness and love he saw from us could be used to help him understand the forgiveness and love that is found in Christ.  On the night of May 7^th, that prayer was answered.  So while it was really tough to say goodbye and it is really sad to know that Jaimes is now gone for good, I praise God for and rejoice in the fact that while I will probably never see him again in my lifetime, I will spend all of eternity with him J

But as for me, it is good to be near God.

 I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;

I will tell of all Your deeds.

Psalms 73:28