Siddhi’s First Day

Monday, May 4, 2009 at 9:43pm

Nothing can prepare you for a moment like this. It was funny…this morning as we were waiting for the Taxi, Damon was playing funny songs on his iPod for us to hear. He played “A Moment Like This” by Kelly Clarkson and we all had a good laugh. I hate that song. Laura said earlier that what is most incredible about all of this is that we actually know we are in a moment and that makes everything all the more special. It is amazing when you KNOW that you are being changed from the inside out and you are able to allow the Holy Spirit to change you and you are aware of the change as it is happening. We don’t have a lot of moments like this in our lives. A lot of the Holy Spirit’s change happens over a long period of time.

Well, yesterday was incredible. We got into the taxi after Damon’s serenade of cheezy songs to lighten the moment. We were all dumbfounded on the way to the orphanage. Up unto this point we had not seen much of India. A lot of what we had seen wasn’t much different from the big cities in the US. It is amazing to see a developing country right in the midst of development. On our way to the orphanage we saw the India that many think of today. Bulls in the road, people living in trash heaps, beggars, blinded men who were also crippled. We saw three little girls who looked like they could have been cast in Slumdog Millionaire. I thought, “Why can’t someone bring them home too?” We passed by quickly as they continued to beg. The poverty hits you hard. But the absence of Christ hits you harder. There are churches along the way. It is encouraging to see these lights, these cities on these hills, shining in the darkness.

We arrived at the orphanage and let me be honest–I was finally nervous. We were in this moment we had waited so long for. They took us into this little room. There was a little bed that we sat down on. There were two little boys waiving to us from the second floor as we came in. The orphanage is strangely quiet. There are no kids running around. In fact we didn’t see any other children. I wanted to see some of them because we have become attached through pictures to many of them. We wait in the heat of the small room. Damon called my brother and sister in law because they wanted to listen in. We kept waiting.

Finally, with camera’s rolling we see this little shadow coming through the curtain. We can tell it is Siddhi and the tears start rolling. As soon as Siddhi sees us she begins to cry. It’s as if she knows that we are here to see her. We don’t care. We expected this. We cry for her. She won’t realize how much we love her–it’ll take time. Laura takes her first. It was very much like a baby being born. The crying, the shock and the wondering eyes. A baby being taken from one safe place and arriving into a crazy world. My emotions were exactly the same as when our children at home were born. I am amazed at how the Lord has brought us to this point. Laura is crying, Damon is crying, I am smiling.

I get to hold her and now she really lets it rip. I just hold her close and tell her how much I love her. I just keep calling her name and allow her to cry. She can cry all she wants and for as long as she wants. I’ll just keep telling her how much I love her. No one in the room can comfort her until she is put back into Laura’s arms. She doesn’t quite rest there but she permits Laura to hold her. She continues to burst into tears as we walk around.

Now the Hindu ceremony begins. This is basically a transfer of the child to us. We agree to be her parents. As they put the dot on my head all I could think about was Jesus–so I thanked our great God for bringing us to this point. We signed a few papers and we were off–just like that. Siddhi will never see an orphanage in that manner again. She will never have to wonder where we are. She may wonder about her biological parents but she will never need to guess at how much we love her. She will always be able to know that she is our daughter.

Siddhi wasn’t too happy. It doesn’t happen like that. We live in the real world. We arrived back at our hotel room and just traded her back and forth. All of the sudden she began crying, “ma ma ma ma ma ma”. I suggested that we feed her. I prepared the food as she watched. Laura fed her. All of the sudden Siddhi began to make eye contact with us without crying. Before all she would do is glance and cry. Now she is holding our gaze. I started to play games with her and I think she actually SMILES at me! For sure! She smiles again and again. Laura gets her to laugh. But the best part is that she is snuggling us, not afraid of us and even wanting us. The fact that she is eating is amazing!

We took her to the doctors. America needs to figure out their healthcare. No insurance, just a walk in and the whole thing cost us 4.00. But the cool thing here is that Siddhi is very upset with the doctor. The only ones who can console her are Laura and me. She doesn’t want anyone else!

We take her home and video call our family. Everyone is there! Emma, Caleb, Eva, Jovan, mom, dad, aunts uncles, cousins–it’s like Christmas. We wake Siddhi up in the middle of her night and she is just gracious about the whole thing. During the call she smiles at me over and over again, plays games with my hands and allows me to give her kisses and snuggle with her. Laura just keeps holding her tight. She has no idea what to make of all the Betters’ and Nequists. Wait until she meets them in real life. Welcome to the family daughter!

We put her back to bed with us and she went right to sleep. She sleeps through the night.

Well there it is. Our first day. We are amazed at our little girl. We are amazed at our Lord. We are also amazed at our family and friends and church family. All of your interest in our story and our journey has helped fuel us along the way. Thank you for praying. We will see you all soon!

Pastor Dan