I found divinity in a room with paint flaking off the walls, on the chilly rainy day of April 7, 2002. I thought I had met Him before but I was mistaken. He wasn’t in a church. He wasn’t at the beach. He wasn’t in the forest. He wasn’t on the mountain. He wasn’t in a book. He was in this cold damp room. He looked at me with deep sad eyes full of anticipation. He held me tightly as I hugged and carried him around the lime green building of whispering souls. He laughed at me when I pretended to eat his invisible food. He spoke to me while he danced angelically around his modest space. He touched the soul of my being and changed the course of my life forever.

I do not wear my religion on my sleeve. I do not want to be the mouthful of air that preaches gospel or the divine ‘will’. I do not want to be held up on a pedestal, for I’ll surely fall. But I do know I found divinity. And the funny thing is he’d been waiting for me for 34 years, waiting for me to make all those decisions and critical turns to get to this faraway place. He waited 34 years for me to find the cold damp room with the miniature table and 14 tiny chairs.

28 eyes of God met me on that day and gave me the gift of sight. 28 arms of love and laughter grabbed my heart and wouldn’t let go. 14 smiles became a part of my breath I breathe every day until I take my final one. 28 legs ran to me and gave me strength that will carry me to the edge of the world and into eternity. 14 hearts beat serenity and sanguinity and gave me the desire to change the world. It took me 34 years, but I found divinity!

(This took place in the Ukrainian orphanage where I met our oldest son and all of his beautiful friends)

I send peace, love, and hope!

May an angel’s wing touch every orphaned child.

Danielle