Update from the Director - Nathan and Joel

28 June 2010 “…He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep….The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore”. ~Psalm 121:3-4, 7-8~
Baby Nathan was not a surprise for us. We knew on Friday that we were to receive him today, and things went just as planned. We welcomed this tiny, healthy 3-week- old baby boy, and he is settling in easily to the love and food and care at AGC Baby Centre. He seems to be taking Jesus at His word and is giving Him many opportunities to watch over him while he sleeps. 
Just as Nathan was arriving at Baby Centre, I was receiving a phone call that there was another baby in town who needed a safe place. We were surprised today to receive baby Joel—a big boy around 9 or 10 months old. We were also surprised to find him extremely clean, in very good health, and with excellent social skills, all of which led us to wonder if perhaps he is more lost than abandoned. During the afternoon, he played a bit with toys, but as nighttime began settling in, Joel began to struggle. It seems it was also a surprise to Joel to find himself surrounded by strangers and out of his routine for going to bed. As I rocked this precious boy who is almost the same age as my own daughter, I wondered if there is a mother somewhere who is missing her son as much as he apparently is missing her. And one more time, my heart was torn up by what the fallen-ness of the world can do to a precious life.
Tonight as all 42 precious babies are laying down their heads and preparing for slumber, there is one among them who is finding sleep to be difficult. As we struggle with Joel and feel his pain, we take comfort from the God who watches over our lives, the God who will keep us from harm, the God who will not sleep the whole night through just to make sure that He has planned our coming and going. Some part of me is praying that while we slumber, the same God who planned Joel and Nathan’s coming here will do a miracle in planning Joel’s going—that maybe the mama he apparently loves so much will be able to trace where he has gone so that they can be reunited. That’s my human will, I know, but no matter what the outcome, I must entrust the lives of Joel and Nathan into the hands of the God who neither slumbers nor sleeps. I can do that, because I know that He watches over our lives and doesn’t want to bring us to harm. Pray with us now that while we slumber, God is able to bring peace and rest to Joel’s life. Pray that we ourselves allow Him to do the same in our lives.
Able to sleep because He doesn’t,
Staci Keter
Director

Standing in Awe

25 June 2010 “When they see among them their children, the work of My hands, they will keep My name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.” ~Isaiah 29:23~
As our staff gathered for prayer today to send Jessica home with her new mommy and daddy, we realized that so many things were familiar—the joy we felt that she was getting to go home, the tears as we said good-bye, the awe at what God had done in redeeming a child’s life and then blessing that child with a family. All these thoughts and more seem familiar to us now as we see children going home.
But today there was something even more familiar—the parents. Just 18 months ago, we were gathered on the same playground with many of the same staff and the same parents as they were taking Daniel K. home from AGC Baby Centre. What an amazing thing Jesus has done in the lives of these children! Jessica doesn’t just get a new mom and dad. She also gets a new big brother—and not just any big brother, but one who comes from the same place she does. Daniel and Jessica get to grow up sharing love and support and family and a connection deeper than any of us will probably ever realize. I stand in awe of the God who does things like this! To see the lives of these children and all He has done for them—it’s so clearly something that could only be done by the work of His hands!
Praise Jesus with us today for all His children among us and how each one displays the work of His hands. We are in awe! More importantly, may our awareness of Him and His working drive us to humility and holiness—that He may be glorified through our lives the same way He is glorified through these children’s lives.
In awe of Jesus,
Staci Keter
Director

Dedicated to the Lord

Twenty one of our babies were dedicated to the Lord at a recent church service. Dr. Robert L'angat, Chairman of the baby center board, shared yesterday while visiting Nappanee Missionary Church that these dedications really touch him. He said "These children have no mother or father to dedicate them, so caregivers, church and board members "fill in" to be their parent at the dedication". The babies are presented to the Lord and as representatives of the Baby Center, we are dedicating them to God and trusting their future to Him. Our hearts cry out for a home for these little ones, but no matter what the future brings for each of these precious children, we will continue to trust God that He knows what is best for them. Cason and Colleen posted these pictures on their blog on June 13th.

Precious in His Sight

11 June 2010 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you….Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.” ~Isaiah 43:2, 4~
As the week draws to a close here at AGC Baby Centre, my heart is full of many different emotions. This week baby Sammy was able to go back home to some family that was found. We are happy that he can be where he is supposed to be. We are thrilled for the opportunity we had to be a part of his life for these past few months! I am continually overwhelmed at the privilege of touching these lives—and letting them touch mine—and cannot thank God enough for that honor.
Yesterday, we received baby Precious. She is a tiny and, yes, very precious, 3-day old baby girl who has had quite the rough start in life. She was rescued from a pit latrine on her birthday and has a number of health problems as a result of that. In my heart, I have struggled with her situation. Today I stood over her crib, watching her sleep peacefully, and thinking how much she deserved that rest. I wept as I imagined her floating there in the midst of that waste, thrown out as if she, too, were waste. My heart rose up in desperate prayer that her body can be made whole, and especially that she will grow up knowing the depth of God’s love for her and how truly precious she is in His sight. I don’t know what “exchange” happened in the realm of the Kingdom of God so that her life was saved, but as I looked at her, I was so thankful that God redeemed her life and she was not overwhelmed by those waters!
Today, please send up a special prayer for baby Precious—that neither her body nor soul will bear any lasting effects from the trauma of her first days. Thank God that what He has done for Precious, he has also done for each one of us in redeeming our lives from the pit of sin, just because we are precious and honored in His sight, and because He loves us!
With a full heart,
Staci Keter
Director