Live. Laugh. Create. Inspire.

The most terrifying 20 minutes of my life were the 20 minutes that N was lost in the largest mall in Europe. 6 floors. An escalator just outside the store we were in. Not a clue in the world where he might have gone. It was the longest stretch of time in my life and I was literally running through the mall crying out loud with my hands outstretched asking the Lord to protect him. We were reunited with him at the information desk and learned that he had chased a train that gives kids rides through the mall.  Even though he was 3 years 3 months, he didn’t have the language to articulate to us what really happened and so we never knew. 

Until about 3 weeks ago. We were in a local  mall and the same train drove past. When N saw it, he started recounting what happened when he was lost for the first time! I could tell he knew what he was talking about because he used Turkish in his story and Turkish hand motions both of which he has otherwise seemed to have forgotten. He said there was a man on the train that was saying and motioning ‘gel, gel, gel‘ (come, come, come)  to him so he ran after the train and the man picked him up and sat him beside him on the train. He said after the ride the man left quickly and he walked around by himself for awhile before someone took him to the information desk where we were reunited with him. 

When I first heard this I thought, “Wow, maybe this man was going to kidnap him but our prayers thwarted his plans.” After a day or two more of processing, I realized, “Whoa. What if the man’s goal was just to get him on the train? What could have happened during that train ride?” My thoughts began to spiral downward and I knew I needed to ask N about this, just to be sure we didn’t need to talk through anything with him. 

So, one day when we were just talking together I said, “Remember that guy on the train? What did he look like?” N didn’t remember. “Was he nice?” Didn’t remember. “Did he touch you?” Didn’t remember. “Did he put his arm around you?” 

“No mom, God painted me and I was still wet so no one could touch me.” 

 What? 

 ”God painted me and I was still wet so he couldn’t touch me.”  

 What? 

 I was still trying to understand what he was saying because it didn’t seem to make sense. When we can’t understand what N is saying and he really wants to express something he always says “Say it with me mom.” 

Next he said, “Say it with me mom, GOD PAINTED ME.” 

Then he walked away to go play as if his explaination was the most normal thing in the world.  And I sat there stunned.  

What a gift this amazing picture of God’s protection over our children has been. He is truly there, even when we aren’t. For the rest of my life, I will pray that God covers them in His Beautiful Paint!

Tags: christian, family, inspiration, lost child, religion

This entry was posted on July 31, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Inspire. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.