Aren't they cute?

In my last couple weeks at Lily I took about 1,000 pictures...well, actually, most of the time I gave my camera to older kids who took a majority of the pictures... regardless, I've gone through and narrowed that down to about 180 pictures which I've posted online. I know it's still a lot of pictures, but the kids are just so cute and funny! Here they are: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/573686228HyCdqo

As I mentioned in my last post, things didn't end like I would have wanted them to at Lily and future reflections will probably dwell on some of that again, but when I look at the pictures of the kids I remember all the good parts about the place. I think about all the times the kids made me laugh and all the good times hanging out on the trampoline, in the houses and running around the grounds. I also look at these beautiful, healthy kids and am amazed to think about some of their background stories...kids abused, kids neglected, kids abandoned, kids in and out of the hospital for TB or HIV related diseases battling for their lives, kids literally on their death bed, all having found a home at Lily, now healthy and growing and thriving. One kid was apparently brought to Lily at 11 years old, weighing 22 pounds, everyone expecting him to die within a couple weeks and surely never walk again; now at 13 he is a healthy, good sized boy running around, smiling, playing with the other kids. Other children who had shut down emotionally and socially from past horrors have gained confidence and opened up while at Lily. Yes, there are many great stories to be told. I thank the Lord for those stories, for his goodness, for those kids and for granting me 9 months to live with them. I pray that Lily can grow and continue to meet the often very difficult physical and emotional needs of these kids, building on what has already been done so that these kids have a chance to live happy lives when they grow up. Enjoy the photos!