The social services agency that oversees our Dominican Republic home requires an adult to sleep in the boys’ bedroom each night. Considering the abuse our boys have experienced, an adult male isn’t appropriate in that role for Blackbox. So, after prayerfully considering our options, our international team arrived at one person.
Abuela.
Abuela–grandmother–is an older, Christian woman who spends every night in the boys’ bedroom. Picture seven rowdy, ornery boys all around the age of 12, piled on bunkbeds around the simple room–and there, in the corner, she’s on her bed, too. The boys tease and play, and Abuela teases right back. She talks with them and prays with them and brings a sense of security and warmth to our messy-but-beautiful, God-ordained family.
She doesn’t have to do much, but what she does makes a world of difference. She does her part to change the story for our boys, because the story must change.
Abuela.