The Hope of the Orphan

During a layover in the San Francisco airport a few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting 7 year old Anna, 3 year old Lela and their “papa” as they waited for the same delayed flight I did. The threesome struck me immediately as they appeared to be of humble means with each girl carrying a very small homemade day pack that seemed to contain a floor puzzle, crayons, index cards and a small, much loved stuff animal. Papa himself was toting a very small backpack and a violin case. When it was obvious that we would be detained and the girls were hungry, the threesome shared a small loaf of bread, plain and a juice bottle.

Beyond their humble means, the kind and gentle ways of this likely single dad grabbed the attention of my heart and I gleaned much as I observed the interaction of this threesome. His attention upon his daughters was uninterruptible. Squabbling was met with papa’s gentle voice that seemed to dissipate disagreements and usher in harmony. When Anna and Lela would raise their voice even an octave, papa would simply put his index finger to his lips and they obviously knew what that meant as they would quiet down immediately. As the hours wore on and we waited for the departure of our flight Anna and Lela’s whining or teary complaints would be comforted by papa lifting them onto his lap to whisper into their ear or gently rub their back, absolutely attentive to their every need. Lela seemed to have more of a propensity toward being naughty as she stepped on the puzzle pieces, grabbed her sister’s beloved stuffed doggie or the like. Immediately papa’s gentle voice would utter her name,” Lela,” nothing more, nothing less. The way papa said Lela, or maybe it was the look in papa’s eye, would signal Lela to change her behavior.

Papa watched Anna and Lela play and contentment was evident in his eyes, seemingly happy to be interrupted by their voice or their needs ... such a kind and gentle attentiveness to his children. When they became restless, he distracted them. He would meet their continual questioning about the status of the flight with patient and repetitive explanations. It was an amazing moment to me when Anna finished the floor puzzle and complained that 3 pieces were missing; papa told her to remember that those pieces were missing permanently. She appeared completely satisfied with his response. Lela, at a very restless moment, proceeded to dump her crayons one at time off her chair while Papa looked on ... there was NO evidence of disappointment, anger or frustration but patient satisfaction with his tired 3 year old. Anna and Lela had obviously spent many hours in the presence of their papa and the intimacy of communication was obvious.

The most telling moment of the afternoon was when Papa left to use the restroom. He gave Anna and Lela instructions on staying put and when he “took his presence away”; it was incredible to watch the scenario before me change in an instant. The sisters became loud and excessively silly and before papa could return, Lela had taken Anna’s beloved doggie. Anna reacted by smacking her sister in the head. The “sister war” accelerated until papa turned the corner and approached our gate as both girls had a death grip on each others hair and were wildly screaming.

Papa briskly approached and quietly but firmly pulled the girls apart as he carefully held each arm to separate them. He got down on eye level with them and spoke in hushed tones with his eyes intently on theirs. Within moments, as his presence returned to them, so did their joy and contentment. Soon Anna and Lela had their stuff packed up and each lay on either side of papa – satisfied in HIS PRESENCE and care. In the final moments before we boarded our flight, the girls tried many things to please/bless their papa; rubbing his neck and shoulders, tying and retying his shoes, kissing and hugging him and on the flood of affection went. The longer I observed this endearing threesome, the harder time I had containing a smile from my face as I recognized the reality of being God’s kids and as long as He is there, we are in His care.”

We are ever in the constant care of our loving and attentive heavenly Father whether we have an earthly papa or not. That’s the hope of the orphan; to have a Father in heaven that cares about them! We are all orphans in some sense as we are all deficient of father love to some degree. And for the true orphan, the child alive without a father or mother to care for them, this is their hope too. A Father in heaven that cares about them! They will only know this hope if we show them that we care about them. As Christ followers we must be the hands and feet and heart of the Father to the orphans.