Can I pray?

In recent weeks, Zebene asks at every bedtime and nap time "Ken I pay" (can I pray?).  And of course, his request is always fulfilled.  Initially, however, I assumed he meant for me to pray for him and over him.  I do.  He rests easy and light and those moments I can literally feel his little body soften and relax.  Ah, Jesus, you are so welcome in that space!

But .... in the past few days, he has stopped and asked "Zebene pay, o.k.?".  And he does.

I cannot understand one word he says when he prays.  At first, I even wondered if he was speaking any real words.  At first I thought that perhaps, he was just mimicking me and filling his prayer time with babble.  But today, as he prayed, I listened carefully and heard these things mixed in ... "Mommy, Daddy, Jesus, Amen".   And as I listened to those words closer that I couldn't understand before, I realized that indeed ... they were the same sounds and words he had said yesterday and the day before and the day before that.

So I asked "Zebene, did you pray in Ethiopia"?  He smiled and with the most animated eyes and grin he said "Des, Zebene pay, Eee-tee-opia... Mommy, Daddy, Jesus, Amen"!

Melt my heart.  My sweet boy is praying the prayer each day that he was praying with his Auntie's and his friends.  That prayer included praying for a Mommy and a Daddy.  Of course it did!  Every single one of those children in that transitional home await that same answer.

163 million actually await the answer to that prayer.

Sweet Zebene, I pray that your prayer (though I don't know what you are saying) has turned to praise.  The Lord answered you, my little one.  He gave you the desires of your heart ... and he did so in bigger ways than you could have imagined when he also gave you a sister, another sister and a brother.  AMEN!

And in the words of Zebene "Tank you, Jesus"!