A one year old girl named Asha from the village of Mumba lost her parents to AIDs, she was left with only her grandmother who could not provide her with any nutrition what so ever. The Caraway's heard about an orphanage near by that might be able to help, so one day they drove to Sumbawanga in search of aid for Asha who was struggling for life. Once they arrived at the orphanage they saw that there were many more children struggling just like Asha, but one more than most. A little boy named Luka who was abandoned and left out in the wild to die because his gaurdians were no longer able to support him. Some travelers found him after days of being left alone and they brought Luka to St. Martin's Orphanage where they thought there was nothing they could do for him. Once again all any one could do was wait for this little boy to die.
Unable to just let this innocent boy slip into darkness without every knowing what it felt like to be held by loving arms, Lynn and the Caraway family took Luka home to make his final days as comfortable as possible. Day after day the fed him, bathed him, played with him, all in hope that they just might get one smile out of him before he takes his last breathes.
5 years has passed since they discovered that little boy, and I'm happy to say that he's alive and well and hopes to be a race car driver when he grows up (his picture is included in this post). Growing up, something they never thought he'd get to experience. Lucky for Lynn that one smile she asked God for turned into thousands. On my stay with the Caraways the kid couldn't stop smiling, between the love Mike and Lynn showed him, and his endless energy displayed by his constant running around the house naked with his cape on, I couldn't stop smiling either. Soon Luka's adoption will be final and he will becoming to America for school. How's that for a happy ending, that's one thing not common in the 3rd world.
It's true, happy endings are scarce in these parts of the world, Unlike Luka, Asha wasn't so fortunate. Two months after she arrived at St. Martin's she was claimed by AID's. I hope that stories like Luka's wil start to be more common, but right now the story of Asha is more of the status quo. After visiting I didn't learn the value of life, I felt it, and people think that the little contributions they give from thousands of miles away won't make a difference, but there something as simple as milk can keep a child alive. Keep the Caraway's in your thoughts and prayers as they are in the final stages of a long adoption process so Luka can come join his Sister's and brother-in-law, who loves more than anything, here in America this coming spring.
