A New Thing

To begin the final newsletter of 2025, I reflect back to Greg’s words in this very newsletter exactly one year ago that led up to our “Milestones” theme of this past year.

“Every month, young adults who were merely infants and toddlers when we began helping them, write letters. Letters to thank their sponsors. Thanking O.L.I. Thanking God and Jesus. Thanking all of the above for their very life. For feeding them, clothing them, giving them a warm and safe home filled with love. Teaching them about God and Jesus and providing them with an education and hope for a far better life than the one they were born into.

When a young adult in their final year of college, or beginning a new career, thanks all of us for everything in their life and asks for God to bless us… now that is a milestone.”

As I think on the thousands of letters from the children that I have read over my past almost 14 years working here, Greg’s words are so very true. It is a remarkable milestone to see all that has been accomplished... to see the love, strength, character, humility, gratitude and drive to make a difference that emanates from so many children and young adults that we have helped. It is both inspiring and humbling to me.

So today, I did as I do when it is time to write... when it is time to find inspiration or to speak something significant. I went outside. I stepped out the back door here at Orphan’s Lifeline, outside our humble little building that we operate out of, a 40+ year old house. I stepped into the grass and proceeded to the back of the property where a historic border of trees separates our mission from the industrial properties around us. Although not a walk around the pond or a trek to a river bank, I found some solitude and semi-quiet there with the old trees.

I began studying the trees much closer than I ever have before. I studied them even closer than when Tim and I walk out there a few times a year to pick some plums from the old plum tree. I studied them closer than when my boys and I climb up to grab some cherries from one of the ancient cherry trees. This time I really looked closer than I had in almost 14 years. And I saw curious things. I looked over to some heavy brush and saw the leaves of a lilly sneaking up high through the middle. I contemplated the fact that someone had to have planted those bulbs back there long ago... what is now behind trees and other underbrush. The lilly was way too far back to ever be seen these days. And I began to envision what the property may have looked like back in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Those fruit trees were surely young, healthy and beautiful.  I bet this was a most lovely and peaceful spot with fields all around.

Then I looked down to the bottom of the second largest cherry tree, and my heart sunk. Ants have been feasting on the dry, dying center of the base of the tree where the different thick sections of tree combine into one multi-faceted base. I just picked cherries from this tree a few months back. How long would it survive in this condition? Will we have any cherries next year? When will a large portion of this tree break off and create a big gap in the border? When will the entire tree be just a pile of dust?

I have served in the mission field in 6 countries, not including various works in the U.S. When I led a team to Ghana in 2004, I learned the most curious and beautiful thing, and God spoke to me through it. There is a remarkable tree that our host and the preacher there, originally from Jamaica, was showing me and telling of his first encounter with it. The tree was on his property, and at some point in his first year there, the leaves started falling from the crown of the tree. He thought the tree was surely sick as the dropping leaves continued down the tree uniformly. They didn’t randomly fall from various spots, but beginning at the crown, moved in perfect order down that tree, falling so that the lower portion still had leaves and the upper had none. After several weeks when there were only leaves remaining on the bottom third of the tree, he was thinking of cutting the tree down. But he looked up and saw a remarkable sight. Brand new leaves were growing at the very top of the tree again! This is what the tree does each year! As more leaves were falling from the bottom, new leaves made their way down the tree from the top, eventually filling it completely in with new life. What an amazing creation of God! While it was natural to be observing and lamenting over the death of the leaves moving down the tree, the new life at the top could easily be missed while looking at the wrong thing.

And God enlightened me with Isaiah 43:18-20 where he spoke to Israel.

“Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert.”

You, the ones that love the orphans and donate your hard-earned money to their betterment... YOU are a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert to God’s precious children.

Back to the ant-damaged cherry tree here at work. I was troubled by the sight... and by its future. And somehow, in that time of nature inspection, it led to some introspection and thoughts of the coming holidays. I have always looked too much on the past, and have likely not known A New Thing that had sprung forth... a new thing that God wanted to do in my life. At Christmas time, some of us humans reflect too much on sadness, loss and what once was... like the former healthy fruit trees and nicely placed lillies of the past... that sort of haunt us. We want to reach back and have it again.

Some of my most fond memories were at Christmas time in the 70’s and 80’s. My brother and I sitting around the Christmas tree surrounded by new Star Wars toys... my dad taking photos like a maniac with his old Minolta camera... and my mother making everyone holiday bacon and sausage treats... and them both making sure coffee and hot chocolate were on coasters and not directly on the furniture. I also loved going to my grandparents’ house later on Christmas day and listening to Burl Ives playing on my grandpa’s old 8-track player as everyone made Christmas special. Those moments make me happy... and a bit sad at the same time. I am sad they are gone, and other thoughts of other voids conjure the same sadness.

But then I cannot help but think of an amazing letter written to us by Esther at Butiki Children’s Home. I am a bit convicted and realize that a dose of memories is okay, and to grow and learn and heal through them is good... but to get lost, to ruminate in them... can be harmful and make us miss something big. There is A New Thing springing forth for us to know. Esther’s wisdom helped me to re-focus, knowing she has been through much worse than I. And the words of Isaiah are reflected in her words.

“To me you’re more than just sponsors. You’re my real parents surely. Because since the day God placed me in your hands of support, I forgot all the past and focused only forward and am seeing my future now. I can’t write my heart with this pen on this paper, but how I wish you could feel my heart... Every good thing you send to us has not only reached us but has also reached God your creator. We say thank you, thank you, thank you a thousand times, our dear sponsors and the whole family of God.”

My goodness... Isn’t that just powerful? Esther’s words are full of hope, full of expectation of good, new things... full of Thanks. As we enter into the holiday season... As we move into Thanksgiving and then to Christmas... let us be Thankful. Let us be Hopeful of what is to come. Let us be intentional about helping and being in the lives of these orphaned children. Let us be intentional about focusing on the new things that God has in store for us and walking in Him that we may truly see and know His goodness. And what a fine concept to take with us into the soon coming new year.