Post by Kelli<3 on Jun 23, 2009 19:00:15 GMT -5
This was it. The big day, the day that she'd been anticipating for very long. Ivy's heart pounded as she walked out to the gate of the acreage, and opened it. There were two social workers outside the gate, with four children between them.
"Welcome to Helping Hands," Ivy said, smiling warmly at the children who looked so terrified. The littlest girl particularly captured her attention. She had brown hair and huge brown eyes, and she looked nervous; yet there was stubbornness in those big brown eyes that said she would not be held back. The look in her eyes was not a defiant look, more of determination and a strength that Ivy couldn't immediately comprehend.
The children and Ivy grew ever closer to each other as time passed. She loved watching them learn new things and become friends. Healing Hearts was truly everything Ivy had hoped it would be.
One day, a new child came to live at Helping Hands. Her name was Natasha, and she was eight. Ivy was eager to meet her, but the surprise that awaited her was nothing like she would have imagined.
Natasha was a sullen child, with beautiful features yet she had a fiery temper and antagonistic demeanor. She was ready to fight if someone looked at her cross-eyed, and hardly spoke at all other than rude, monosyllabic phrases such as, "Move," or "Watch it". Ivy knew that something must have gone terribly wrong in the young girl's life, and she longed to know what it had been.
The other children tried to be nice to her, but their efforts were unrewarded. The girl could not be reasoned with, could not be reached. Ivy’s team of counselors talked to her, the supervisors tried to draw her interest into class work or activities, but all to no avail. Natasha was a hardened soul, but Ivy knew that with the Lord's help, she would change.
As she ushered the orphaned children and their guardians into their respective bedrooms, Ivy was overjoyed. She had longed for the day when Helping Hands, a place where children could come and stay when they lost their parents would open its gates and she would open her arms to these children. This was it.
The social workers left once the children were settled, not because they didn't care, but because they had so much else to do. There were many other children in the city that needed their services. These children, however, were in capable and loving hands.
Ivy spent time that first day with each child. Brian was an eight year old bookworm who had finished the entire Hardy Boys series before his seventh birthday. His parents had been lost in a terrible car accident, which the small boy had miraculously survived. But Brian seemed to retreat into his books for solace, seemingly trying to forget, to rid his young mind of nightmarish memories. He would need lots of reassurance, but Ivy and her team were ready to give it to him.
Jamie was only five, but she was a captivating child. She had personality, and she was very talkative. Jamie would make eye contact when she talked to someone, which was a good sign to Ivy. But her eyes were so deep, so penetrating, that you could get lost in them. Ivy longed to know her story, but she knew that would come in time.
Nathaniel and Anna were brother and sister, and they had a fierce sense of loyalty to one another. Ivy found out that the pair had been in foster care since the ages of four and two, but had never been separated. Thankfully, the twelve and ten year old duo communicated well, and they seemed to like the other children as well.
The first day seemed to go well to Ivy, until it was time for bed. Nathaniel, Anna and Brian did not fuss, but Jamie put up a struggle. She cried and screamed, seeming terrified of the darkness. "That child is as stubborn as the day is long," thought Ivy. Finally, Anna knelt down beside the smaller girl, put her hand on her shoulder, and said, "Its ok, Jamie. We're all here with you. There's not anything that can happen to you." Ivy watched in amazement as Jamie's fit ceased. Anna looked up at Ivy and asked, "Can Jamie sleep in my bed tonight?" Ivy nodded, still in awe of the younger girl's skill with Jamie. Anna took a flashlight and shone it all around the room. "See, Jamie? There's nothing here but us." Without another word, the two girls climbed into bed. When Ivy checked on them later in the night, they were sound asleep.
The next day was filled with activity. Ivy and her team showed the children the stables where the horses were, the game room with the TV and the games and toys, and the gardening area. The group toured the pool, and the outdoor playground set, and the library. As she saw the children's eyes widen with every new discovery, Ivy was ever the more thankful to God that so many people had generously donated and volunteered to help get Helping Hands started.
Ivy sat back and watched the children play. Nathaniel, Anna and Jamie were happily enjoying one another's company, but Brian seemed to steer clear of the commotion. Ivy walked over and started to chat with the small quiet boy.
Ivy loved spending time with "her kids". People had warned her against getting too emotionally involved with the children, but Ivy knew that these children needed love from the Lord. She hoped that the Lord was working through her and her love for the young ones to help them overcome.
As the weeks wore on, Brian slowly came out of his shell. But every now and again, he would retreat back to his beloved books when he became overwhelmed. He loved to spend hours in the library.
Jamie had all but forgotten about being scared at night. She now looked forward to bedtime, because Anna, who was apparently a great storyteller, would tell her wonderful tales until she drifted off. During the day, the small girl was lively and happy. She was always raring to go.
Nathaniel and Anna were happy living at Helping Hands. Nathaniel told Ivy he was glad to be in a place where he wasn't made fun of for being a foster child. The children at the private Christian school near Helping Hands were nice, he said.
Ivy thanked the Lord continually, and especially during Sunday worship and daily Bible studies, for her kids.
One day in early autumn, when the leaves where turning from green to brilliant colors of orange, red and yellow, Ivy took the children on a special picnic with two other adults. Each child had a "hiking buddy", and try as she might to let Natasha choose a buddy, the little girl refused. So the Nathaniel and Brian and Anna and Jamie were paired up, and Ivy let Natasha walk with her. Yet Natasha still didn't seem to like anyone very much at all, but she allowed Ivy to engage in activities with her, somewhat willingly.
After lunch, the children began playing a game of hide and seek. Each pair of children hid, and laughing hysterically, while Ivy tried to engage Natasha in counting with her. She couldn't hear her counting, so she guessed she was just being uncooperative. When Ivy looked up, Natasha was gone…
"Welcome to Helping Hands," Ivy said, smiling warmly at the children who looked so terrified. The littlest girl particularly captured her attention. She had brown hair and huge brown eyes, and she looked nervous; yet there was stubbornness in those big brown eyes that said she would not be held back. The look in her eyes was not a defiant look, more of determination and a strength that Ivy couldn't immediately comprehend.
The children and Ivy grew ever closer to each other as time passed. She loved watching them learn new things and become friends. Healing Hearts was truly everything Ivy had hoped it would be.
One day, a new child came to live at Helping Hands. Her name was Natasha, and she was eight. Ivy was eager to meet her, but the surprise that awaited her was nothing like she would have imagined.
Natasha was a sullen child, with beautiful features yet she had a fiery temper and antagonistic demeanor. She was ready to fight if someone looked at her cross-eyed, and hardly spoke at all other than rude, monosyllabic phrases such as, "Move," or "Watch it". Ivy knew that something must have gone terribly wrong in the young girl's life, and she longed to know what it had been.
The other children tried to be nice to her, but their efforts were unrewarded. The girl could not be reasoned with, could not be reached. Ivy’s team of counselors talked to her, the supervisors tried to draw her interest into class work or activities, but all to no avail. Natasha was a hardened soul, but Ivy knew that with the Lord's help, she would change.
As she ushered the orphaned children and their guardians into their respective bedrooms, Ivy was overjoyed. She had longed for the day when Helping Hands, a place where children could come and stay when they lost their parents would open its gates and she would open her arms to these children. This was it.
The social workers left once the children were settled, not because they didn't care, but because they had so much else to do. There were many other children in the city that needed their services. These children, however, were in capable and loving hands.
Ivy spent time that first day with each child. Brian was an eight year old bookworm who had finished the entire Hardy Boys series before his seventh birthday. His parents had been lost in a terrible car accident, which the small boy had miraculously survived. But Brian seemed to retreat into his books for solace, seemingly trying to forget, to rid his young mind of nightmarish memories. He would need lots of reassurance, but Ivy and her team were ready to give it to him.
Jamie was only five, but she was a captivating child. She had personality, and she was very talkative. Jamie would make eye contact when she talked to someone, which was a good sign to Ivy. But her eyes were so deep, so penetrating, that you could get lost in them. Ivy longed to know her story, but she knew that would come in time.
Nathaniel and Anna were brother and sister, and they had a fierce sense of loyalty to one another. Ivy found out that the pair had been in foster care since the ages of four and two, but had never been separated. Thankfully, the twelve and ten year old duo communicated well, and they seemed to like the other children as well.
The first day seemed to go well to Ivy, until it was time for bed. Nathaniel, Anna and Brian did not fuss, but Jamie put up a struggle. She cried and screamed, seeming terrified of the darkness. "That child is as stubborn as the day is long," thought Ivy. Finally, Anna knelt down beside the smaller girl, put her hand on her shoulder, and said, "Its ok, Jamie. We're all here with you. There's not anything that can happen to you." Ivy watched in amazement as Jamie's fit ceased. Anna looked up at Ivy and asked, "Can Jamie sleep in my bed tonight?" Ivy nodded, still in awe of the younger girl's skill with Jamie. Anna took a flashlight and shone it all around the room. "See, Jamie? There's nothing here but us." Without another word, the two girls climbed into bed. When Ivy checked on them later in the night, they were sound asleep.
The next day was filled with activity. Ivy and her team showed the children the stables where the horses were, the game room with the TV and the games and toys, and the gardening area. The group toured the pool, and the outdoor playground set, and the library. As she saw the children's eyes widen with every new discovery, Ivy was ever the more thankful to God that so many people had generously donated and volunteered to help get Helping Hands started.
Ivy sat back and watched the children play. Nathaniel, Anna and Jamie were happily enjoying one another's company, but Brian seemed to steer clear of the commotion. Ivy walked over and started to chat with the small quiet boy.
Ivy loved spending time with "her kids". People had warned her against getting too emotionally involved with the children, but Ivy knew that these children needed love from the Lord. She hoped that the Lord was working through her and her love for the young ones to help them overcome.
As the weeks wore on, Brian slowly came out of his shell. But every now and again, he would retreat back to his beloved books when he became overwhelmed. He loved to spend hours in the library.
Jamie had all but forgotten about being scared at night. She now looked forward to bedtime, because Anna, who was apparently a great storyteller, would tell her wonderful tales until she drifted off. During the day, the small girl was lively and happy. She was always raring to go.
Nathaniel and Anna were happy living at Helping Hands. Nathaniel told Ivy he was glad to be in a place where he wasn't made fun of for being a foster child. The children at the private Christian school near Helping Hands were nice, he said.
Ivy thanked the Lord continually, and especially during Sunday worship and daily Bible studies, for her kids.
One day in early autumn, when the leaves where turning from green to brilliant colors of orange, red and yellow, Ivy took the children on a special picnic with two other adults. Each child had a "hiking buddy", and try as she might to let Natasha choose a buddy, the little girl refused. So the Nathaniel and Brian and Anna and Jamie were paired up, and Ivy let Natasha walk with her. Yet Natasha still didn't seem to like anyone very much at all, but she allowed Ivy to engage in activities with her, somewhat willingly.
After lunch, the children began playing a game of hide and seek. Each pair of children hid, and laughing hysterically, while Ivy tried to engage Natasha in counting with her. She couldn't hear her counting, so she guessed she was just being uncooperative. When Ivy looked up, Natasha was gone…
