Behind Those Walls

   I often find myself caught in a daydream. I picture City of Lights and all the babies that we will rescue, in all the different cities and countries all over the world. That is the dream of my heart. My dream is to see the innocent protected and loved, just how God created it to be. When I close my eyes and picture what City of Lights will look like, I see homes all over the world protecting children, I see babies being adopted into loving family homes, I see new families, I see people joining the cause wanting to make a difference, I see happiness...  I see Jesus. What the enemy meant to destroy, God will protect. The enemy wants the innocent to suffer, he does not want to see a new generation of young people fighting for a cause bigger than themselves, he does not want to see the orphans rescued. But let me just tell you...the orphans WILL be rescued. There is hope, there is love and His name is Jesus. 

   It is easy for me to get distracted by the big dreams that God has placed on my heart and ignore the things that are in my hand right now. At the moment I work for my church, Oasis Church, and my job is to help direct the kids ministry. I love my job and I love working with the kids, however, sometimes I can get so lost in the "Big Dream" that I ignore the job that is in my hand right now. I have to be very careful. Having a big dream like I have is great, but I cannot forget the responsibilities and the lives that God is entrusting me with right now. This is how my conversation with God goes sometimes...

"God! Don't you get it?! That is where I should be right now! I should be in Africa building babies homes! There are lives that need to be rescued! I can do this! Don't you see my passionate heart?!"

"Paris, For I know the plans I have for you...will you trust me? Can you take that same passion and energy and help the kids that I have placed in front of you? They need you just as much as the ones in Africa. Be faithful with what is in your hands."

   When God spoke those words to my heart, it stopped me in my tracks. My heart broke. I was so focused on my "Big Dream" that I didn't pay attention to the child in front of me at that moment. I learned a valuable lesson. If God can trust me with the child that is in front of me, then He can trust me with the nations. Patience...

   City of Lights Baby Home Tororo is really coming along. The walls are starting to be built! When Pastor Ruth from Smile Africa sent me the photos I could not stop smiling. I am so excited to see the dream that God has placed in my heart come to pass. I looked at those pictures and my heart started pounding. I pictured all the babies that those walls would protect. Behind those walls, lives are going to be changed, transformed, rescued and restored. Innocence will be protected. Behind those walls we will be raising a City of Lights in the midst of a dark place. I am in awe, humbled. God is entrusting me with the lives of his precious children. That is a huge responsibility. It didn't take someone with a special degree or lots of money...it took someone with a willing heart...someone that would say "YES!"

Here are the pictures of City of Lights Baby Home Tororo as the walls are being built! Click on the picture to enlarge! We are still raising money to build this beautiful home and I cannot do it without you! Every dollar counts. To donate, visit www.smileafrica.org.