Setting the Stage13or visit Uncle Merl and Aunt June on their farm in Indiana,
but we never flew anywhere. I had friends who went overseas,
but I never imagined myself in far- flung places.
But there I was. The motherless mom blogger with an
opportunity to use my words to help children. I was honored.
I reread Shaun’s message several times to make sure it was
meant for me.
But his next message left me undone. My husband, Jimmy,
was out of town, the kids were asleep, and I remember how
I just fell into my creaky dining room chair and wept when I
read it.
Shaun’s message said, “We’re going to the Philippines.
Interested?”
Compassion works in countries all over the world. The trip
could have been to anywhere. They didn’t know my story. But
God did. The great Redeemer was redeeming my story. I was
going to get to see the country my mother knew so well. I’d
glimpse her culture and see sights she saw. One more rare con-
nection to the woman I always longed to know.
He redeems.
But He still wasn’t done.
A few weeks before the trip, I was up far too late wrapping
up a blog post as I sat snuggled under my favorite thick blan-
ket on my couch. Then a Facebook message popped up.
“Hi! My name is Esther Sandee. I’m one of your cousins
from the Philippines.. .”
Esther Sandee? I’d heard that name before. We exchanged
a few airmail letters when I was in elementary school. How
did she find me? Why was she even looking?
It dawned on me: I hadn’t been forgotten. My brother and