Islands of Desperation into Islands of Safety

I am sitting in a lovely living room, enjoying a cool breeze coming in the open balcony sliding door, eating a light lunch after church at the Children's Home in San Buenaventura (SBV).  Burned into my memory is picture Amanda and I witnessed yesterday, coming back from  a shopping trip (one of three we made yesterday).  Because we had been to the Mercado, we had no purses, jewelry or anything else on us at the time.  In the small island  at an off ramp of the highway sat a man, perhaps middle aged, certainly very weather beaten and very dirty and downcast.  He sat near a piece of what looked like a shower curtain strung up between two trees.  He was vacantly staring out toward the traffic.  Behind him was a little girl, about 3 years old dancing in the breeze made by the passing cars.  Amanda and I both searched our empty pockets in vain hoping to find some money to give them so they could at least have a meal.  The image of her turning around playing and dancing so expressively speaks to her innocence and faith and trust that she may not yet be able to express that someone will take care of her.
At church today Suzy was inviting the children to come up and say how they feel God's presence in their lives.  Many children volunteered.  One said he feels God's presence in everything around him, one expressed gratitude for having won a prize at school, one gave a lenghty testimony.  Then one little girl, whose life has been dramatically changed since coming to the Children's Home said she has felt God's presence all her life-she is about 7.  Her mother is a deaf-mute who could not take care of her, so she and all her brothers and sisters are now at SBV.  She is a beautiful and happy child who knows God loves her and is taking care of her.  This is the story of the children at SBV, out of desperate circumstances into loving arms, in safety and in a nurturing home where they can thrive.
My heart goes out to the little girl living in the island of the dangerous highway-what a metaphor for her life!  Will she stay trapped in her poverty and surrounded by danger?  Or will she find her way into another island of safety and love?  We know she is one of God's littlest lambs.  We know God cares for her.  Dear Lord, give me the courage and trust in you to find a way to help this little child of yours, and keep her safe through the dark nights.  May she come to know you love her too.