At Big Oak Ranch we say often, “A small thing repeated is not a small thing.” The reward for the daily, committed work in nurturing the hurting places in our children is frequently found in the glances, in the smiles, in the subtle comments that bring us to our knees.
Not too long ago, a 6-year-old girl joined our family. A little girl who, despite past hardship, is always smiling, loving and friendly. She’s a typical child who enjoys coloring and has a fascination with frogs. The day she arrived at Big Oak happened to be the day her new Ranch family had plans to leave for a beach trip. So, she joined right in and they talked, laughed and connected during that 5-hour drive. She then stepped onto the beach for the very first time.
Most of our kids don’t come to Big Oak, only to leave for a beach trip with their new family that day. But that circumstance was specially appointed by God. Since that trip, her houseparents have watched her grow and weave into her new family.
Even the chores around the house she does with a sweet spirit, including making her bed every morning with no reminder.
Well, except for one day – her first day of school.
After all of the children were off to school on the first day, her housemom walked past the little girl’s room and noticed her bed wasn’t made. Realizing this was unusual, her housemom lightheartedly asked the little girl about it when she got home. She said, “Were you just so excited about your first day that you forgot to make your bed?” The little girl replied, “Well, no ma’am. When I woke up, I thought I was late and didn’t want to miss breakfast.” She recalled how, before she came to Big Oak, she used to rely on breakfast at school but because she was always late to school, she often had to do without breakfast. Brought to her knees, the little girl’s housemom assured her that she would never go without breakfast and that she would always make it to school.
Each morning, this young girl enjoys breakfast and a devotion time with her family before school. She is learning to trust and growing in confidence. And, as a bonus on that first day of school, she found a special connection with her school teacher around a great love of frogs.
Thank you for sustaining this mission so that she, and many children just like her, can experience hope that changes everything.
