Children are a Gift from the Lord – Psalm 127:3
Reflections on my visit to Stephen’s Children – Cairo, Egypt – October 10, 2023
From the very first moment of being picked up at my hotel in Heliopolis by my friend and brother Emad lbrahem, until the end of an amazing day – every meeting and visit challenged the senses and enlivened my heart yet again, for at risk children. Knowing how much Light was penetrating the darkness by Mama Maggie and her Stephen’s Children ministry, it truly was a day of praise and thanksgiving to our loving Father.
Visiting their Farah Schools of joy; the clean and inviting living quarters of resident children, many with no parents; meeting with the impressive, professional board members; seeing the dedicated and vibrant staff in action; visiting the newly constructed hospital not yet fully stocked with needed equipment and supplies; and spending time visiting one Christian family living in the Moqatam City of Garbage – for the average first time visitor – I imagine – would have been an overwhelming experience
But I am no stranger to this type of human misery. For over 40 years now I have worked and traveled in about 100 countries serving, supporting and sometimes rescuing, precious children, whom the Lord loves with all his Being. Kids who are victims of war, abuse, famine, neglect and ignorance. Children are indeed a gift from our Creator – King of the Universe! After finishing my bachelor’s degree and one master’s degree I set out for what I thought would be a career in business. But in my early 20’s God had other plans – and when I reflect on it – makes perfect sense now. It is out of the crucibles of our own life that the Almighty shapes a spiritual weapon against the rulers and powers of this world – temporarily free to disseminate their destruction.
In fact, I was an at-risk child, adopted at age 5 – those first years a blur of complexity. I never met my birth father. Then as a newly married man, my firstborn daughter, on my birthday (April 7) started to show signs, at age 2, of some medical problems. Her eventual diagnosis revealed a degenerative neurological condition. By the time she died at age 10 she had severe, twisting scoliosis, had to eat through a gastrostomy tube, and went blind and deaf. Here is a Truth that we all experience in some way:
Life is an interesting journey… We experience joy and pain, success and failure. We have both times of wonder and wandering. God brings us through it all, if we seek Him and trust completely in His Sovereignty and then … we become one of His wounded healers. So, to all of you wounded healers, turn it into good, for the sake of the children
Please allow me to recommend – to anyone who may read this message – to support this ministry with your prayers and your material resources. It will change many lives!
Respectfully,
Dr. Ralph Plumb
