Karen Patricia 9 is a special little girl in our hearts. She has a sweet spirit and yearns for a father figure. She was abandoned by her mother as a baby and her father passed away a while back of emphyzemia. At 8years old she was the bread winner and caregiver for her dieing father. She was a street child hussling to eek out an existence for her and her father. In his last days they went to the social hospital and she stayed by his side till she was left alone in the world. The hospital called child services to pick up a dirty, scared, sad and lonely little girl. They placed her and 4 others with one of our church families in the mountains and told them when Barry finishes the Children’s Lighthouse you can live with them… but no one told me. In March, after we started construction, I was visiting the church and several children ran up to me and said when are we going to go live with you? Uh huh? We have been helping with food ect since then. In Dec I was taking up doors and windows for the church and saw the children again. While I was sitting and talking to everyone, Karen Patrica walked up behind me began gently brushing the dirt off my back from unloading the truck. Then slowly put her arm around my neck for a long hug and said softly in my ear “Poppy when can I come live with you?” My heart broke that moment and we took them all in. Not knowing how we would do it, but knew we needed to do it. She is full of love to give and never misses an opportunity to say I love you or give hugs. On Jan 1st sitting on the beach with Lisa she turned and asked her with the cutest puppy face imaginable. "Will you be my real mommy?" We are now working at making her paperwork more permanant by actually adopting her, and give her the security and belonging she longs for.
This Christmas she received a gift of a family… But I think I got the best present and a true “Regalo de Dios” (Gift from the LORD)..Amen.