For he who has Christ...

"And...and how old is your Grandma?"

"I don't know, Daniel, I haven't asked her."

"Your Grandpa?"

"I don't know..." I tussle his hair as he lays across my lap. The lights are out and I can barely see his face. He's smiling.

"And your great-Grandma?"

"You're ridiculous. I have no idea how-"

"And your great-great-great-great-great-great---" He dissolves into laughter as both of my hands find his armpits. He shouldn't have told me he was ticklish there. He quiets down and a minute of silence follows. He's listening to my heartbeat.

Andrés breaks the quiet. "I don't have grandparents...or parents. My dad and two of my brothers are in heaven though..."

Daniel quickly grabs my ear, "I have a Grandmother, but my mom died and my dad died and my aunts died and my older brother has a different family now."

I don't say anything for a while. Daniel is still listening to my heartbeat. I peer through the darkness toward Andrés and search for something to say with my limited spanish. "Um, but do you still have joy?"

"Yea! Of course. I have a father."

"I thought you said..."

"God. God is my Father."

I smile. "You're right. And you know...you all know...that anybody who has God-"

They both interrupt me, "We know! Anybody who has God has everything."

"Yea...and He loves you so much."

"We know."

It's late. I put Daniel's head on his pillow and tuck him in. I stand up, give each of them a quick hug and walk toward the door.

"Mateo! Mateo, will you come play tomorrow?"

"Of course, in the afternoon like always. Good night guys." I know that someday "good night" will become "goodbye"...but not now, not yet.

I walk around in the chilly night air for a while. The moon is a brilliant orange circle cresting over a distant mountain. The millions of stars that crowd the sky are vibrant and beautiful...and at this moment I imagine they are angels rejoicing over the children. I laugh at myself for being sappy. I briefly thank God for each of the kids and walk back to the main building so very content. Surely this is the kind of life that Christ has offered to us in the abundance of His love.

All praise and glory to the God of the stars who loves each of these children with passion unending.