Mercy II

I recently wrote about the joyous reunion we had with our African daughter Mercy after a year of trials and lessons. On July 4th we had another tremendous blessing to get to spend the day together. She has grown up so much and the Lord has given her a beautiful and radiant spirit since we first met her. I can honestly say that she is the single greatest miracle I have ever personally witnessed and I am humbled that God would allow me to be her daddy. We had a wonderful day playing cards (she was my partner and was so patient with me because I am terrible at it). We told stories and remembered old times. It was a generally awesome day. I couldn’t be more proud of her.

There were many sweet things that she said during the day that tremendously warmed my heart. Each time we would complement her on something she would say, “You guys made me everything that I am.” We know that it was God through us but it sure was nice to hear it. She told about how all of the scripture that mommy had taught her to memorize came back to her when she was without her Bible for awhile and so she got a notebook and wrote down all the scriptures she had memorized and carried that for her Bible. Her friends were shocked at how much Bible she knew by heart. We shared many, many “I love you’s” and many “I missed you.” She always knew that we loved her and we always knew that she loved us but we all realized on this day that God had taken us all to a new level of love for each other. I think maybe for the first time she felt like our little girl for real and it was incredibly sweet.

Later in the day we got to go hang out with some of our dearest friends and she got to meet Tanya for the first time and reunite with the Davis family. It was so sweet sitting on their couch with Mercy tucked under my arm with her head on my chest just like old times.

As Brooke and I took her home that night she delighted me with this question, “Daddy, do you remember how you used to tell me that I should write a book about my story someday, about how I survived being an orphan, running from the rebels, survived malaria, survived a cobra, survived being kidnapped and tortured, survived drinking lye, came to America nearly dead, had surgery and ended up in the Bullen family?” “Yes Mercy, I remember.” Then she said, “Daddy, do you know what a ghost writer is?” “Sure I do.” “Daddy, will you be my ghost writer and help me write my story and get it published like we used to talk about?” “Sure I will Mercy, I would be honored and delighted.” She said, “I’m ready to tell it all now. I’m ready to tell about how God had a plan for everything and how I would do it all again to get to America and be in your family and have you for a dad and mom for a mom and my brothers and sisters.” “And daddy, as soon as I turn 18 I want to go to Colombia and love on the kids with you.” “And daddy, don’t ever think that what you are doing doesn’t matter because it is bigger to those kids and to me than you can imagine” “And daddy, someday can we go and minister to the orphans in my orphanage in Liberia and love on them because I remember how lonely it was and how desperate we were for a kind word or a touch?” “And daddy, I’ll be the translator!” “Yes, baby.” I said through tears, “God will allow us to do all of that and much more, I am sure.”

Yep. Greatest personal miracle of my life. I love you Mercy Kandakai Bullen. You are a gift from God. You are a kiss on the head from my Father.