At the beginning of the summer, we wanted to launch a series of posts from different people about the “kairos moments” they were experiencing in their lives. A kairos moment is an experience that leads us to answer two questions: What is God saying to you? And what are you going to do about it? Though we weren’t able to do it each week over the summer as we intended, we are going to do it this month starting today! We hope to have a new post up each day until the first day of school. Here’s a kairos moment from Kati Williams:
One of my prayers going into this summer’s trip to Ukraine was for my heart to be more open to the emotions that God wanted me to feel. In the past I have guarded my heart so that it would not hurt so bad upon leaving these precious children behind. This was a dangerous prayer, but I would not take it back. I allowed myself to really love the children and to really think about their lives now and what they are likely to become. This kind of thinking makes you want to shout to the world, “Please adopt these children” and to the government, “stop making it such a challenge!” This kind of thinking also made it hard not to want to escape with a child or two. Especially when one little boy can capture your heart and attach himself there.
From the moment Timothy saw me, he wouldn’t let go. We blew bubbles, played in the sand box, colored, and took many walks up and down the small little sidewalk in the orphanage. He would take my hand and lead me to the next thing that he wanted to do. Every time he had to go back in the building for lunch or dinner he would hang back so that he could be the last one to go inside. Finally, I would have to walk him to the building as he cried and clung to me. Oh, how it broke my heart to leave Timothy.
People often ask why I continue to go back to Ukraine. It’s a long way to go, a lot of work to get a team over there, and not the cheapest trip you can take.
I don’t know if I have a good answer, but what I do know is that we have a great relationship with a church over there (Almaz) who work really hard year round helping orphans and the people who care for them. By us coming over there it really makes it possible for Almaz to continue obeying God’s command to care for the orphans. And we get to be part of obeying that command with really great Ukrainians!