A couple of weeks ago a young woman named Lynne {who went to Uganda with Emma
Lynne wrote how she had been reading
an old blog post on our Place Called Simplicity
where I mention the dolly I grew up playing with, along with the picture of her that
I had posted:
{she survived our house fire only by God’s miraculous grace}
Upon reading about my dolly, Lynne’s memory was jogged
reminding her, that she, as well,
had played with an African dolly.
Her mom commented on her wall post to me that
they surely had a picture of it somewhere.
Soon her mom posted this picture of Lynne’s dolly:
Another mom saw Lynne’s post and before long a very unique story began to unfold:
The mom, Sherri, commented that her son, Jon, had had an African doll
that he also had carried around and played with for a season.
Sherri dug through pictures and found this one of Jon with his doll:
{How cute is that?}
About that time, Natali, a bloggy friend, Instagrammed
a picture of her and her twin.
I saw the picture and wrote: “Natali, are you the twin on the right
and are you, by any chance holding an African doll?”
Natali commented back, “Yes!”
And of course, I had long-remembered the doll that one of our little girls
had longed for, saved all her own money for and purchased on her own..
{although due to the fire, I do not have a picture of Emma with her
American Girl doll Addie} but Emma was about this age when she started saving for her:
There you have it.
Four precious young adults, each spent a portion of their early years tending to an
African dolly.
And where would those young people be now?
I’m so glad you asked…
Lynne is heading back to Uganda for another short-term trip
{spending a couple of months this time}
and Natali
is preparing to return to West Africa where she has been serving.
And so where’s Jon?
Jon is currently leading a short term team in Uganda
{Jon actually held our Ruby when she was in the orphanage
while he was there on a different short term trip!
How cool is that??}
And well you all know our
Emma…
sweet daughter of mine –
Full-time missionary to the orphan
of Uganda, East Africa
So is it all co-incidental?
Not a stinkin’ chance!!
Parents and grandparents purchasing dolls for their kids, being moved by God’s mighty hand…all along He was tenderly weaving a deep love and care for precious treasures on the other side of the world into their hearts, wooing them to minister in the years to come, creating a longing for loving these beautiful little ones, all created in His powerful and Almighty image….
Not so many years later, each individually hearing His call.
And lovingly, sacrificially and courageously responding…..
I couldn’t be more proud of these four and I am so honored to call them my friends!!
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8 niv {Emma’s life verse}
Choose your children’s toys wisely. Ask God to direct your steps.
You never know what you might be instilling in them for the rest of their lives.
My girls first dolls were African dollys:) Can't wait to add their stories some day to this line up. As God has given their mommy a dream of serving in Africa when she was about 4 or 5. My dad is still in disbelief as he recalls me standing in front of him saying "Daddy, someday I will help those people" as we watched a National Geographic documentary on the plight of the beautiful people of Africa. Now, God is fulfilling that promise in my life!! 🙂 Praise God! I will be going with Lynne here in 10 more days for my 2nd trip to serve. <3! It's a LOVE story!!
I am so thrilled for you Candace – give my sweet baby girl extra hugs for me, okay?
I will definitely do that! Lynne said she had a package to take for you. I'm excited to meet her in person. We are staying at Sanyu so I would about guarantee we will run into her! 🙂
I had the exact same doll as Lynne growing up, and we've adopted a little girl from Africa, and will be going back for more someday! I prayed when I was a little girl that God would give me a sweet little brown baby like my doll, and he did!
Isn't it amazing? Love it!!
Love it. When I was eight my grandmother sent me a doll for Christmas, on the outside of the box was a little blonde doll that looked like me, but when I opened the box it was an black doll with curly hair and tiny white teeth, I loved her. My grandmother would not have chosen the doll, but so God, that I now have a little brown skin daughter with an even cuter smile 🙂
My doll was from my Canadian grandma…she is all that I had…until when I was older someone gave me an Eskimo doll…which in my humble opinion looks an awful lot like my Asian treasures! Thank you Grandmas for loving their granddaughters enough to give them a prophetic dolly!
So powerful. I have goosebumps. Thank you for sharing. And FYI – I had an African American Cabbage Patch doll when I was growing up. I'd send you a picture if I had one. I am now the luckiest Mom ever, to two beautiful brown-skinned girls – a family created by God, and God alone.
Awww Teresa – awesome!
I had an African cabbage patch kid when I was little. I remember specifically saying that I wanted him. And now my sweet daughter plays with him. I haven't ever thought anything about it…will be asking Father if He has more for our family because of a passion he put on my heart for a doll that looked different than me.
Another one? Wow…the stories pour in – God truly was up to something in it all!
I begged for a "little black baby" myself as a child. After my Dad had died, my Mom remarried and my new Dad bought me one! I still dream of having a real live breathing one in my arms though…
Sweet step-daddy – LOVE THAT!!
Hmmm… I wonder what that means for our eleven year old blonde boy whose best friends always seem to be dark skinned… ;0)
I'm guessing it means something really, really cool!
Lynnie! I had an African doll when I was little and still have her in my room! Now as a mom I am MOM to many African children :0) One of my daughters cried for the black boy and girl Bitty-Twins. My husband would only get her one, but GOD gave her TWO! We have boy and girl twins and she is the world's best big sister!!!! All of my children have loved dolls and are so sweet to real children!!! –Elaine
Isn't it precious? What a wonderful story!
Love this post Linny because I too had an African doll as do our little girls! Love it… when Anna got her doll about 5 years ago… she was so overjoyed, but the funny thing was she didn't even realize the doll was a different color… Love that girly! So great talking with you Linny!:):) Can't wait! praying!!!
So great talking to you….did you tell Greg about the 2 day "special" we were running as compared with the "park deal"? haha. Love you friend!
HOORAH – fits…
hugs – aus and co.
Aus, seriously, isn't it the coolest?
Absolutely LOVE this! I love to hear how God reveals the results of promptings made to just one heart in one mommy at one point in time….
thanks for sharing this and pointing all the Glory to HIM.
laurie
Easy to point it all to the Lord – He is faithful in e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. !
That is a very cool story! I also had an African doll growing up. Every Christmas my parents let me pick one gift to get from the Sears catalog. I wanted a doll and I liked one particular doll in the catalog. There was a white and a brown version of that doll and I thought the brown baby doll was so much cuter then the white baby doll so that is what I asked for. I named her Kristy and we still have her because I gave her to my son when he was little. He is getting older (I won't say how old) but he still has that doll in his bed along with a Chinese baby doll. I haven't been to Africa yet but my son has already mentioned that he might like to be a missionary who builds homes for orphans. God has given him an amazing ability to create and build so this might just be what he ends up doing.
Amy, Aren't the brown versions always cuter? Come on, seriously, aren't they? Just sayin'. And maybe one day he will help Emma build another home for her kids…cause the Lord has laid out a huge plan for her ministry…and we get a front row seat to watch it unfold!
Linny, this is such an interesting post! The book "I'm Chocolate, You're Vanilla" talks about this subject.
The book says that you are sending a message to your child about who their friends should be when you buy them certain kinds of dolls.
For example, if you buy them only dolls of their own race, you are sending a message that only other children of their race should be their friends.
I found this so intriguing because when I was a kid I collected dolls from around the world. And then I went on to have a career working with international students.
Haven't read the book, but would love to…There is no doubt God was working in your international collection of dolls – perfectly Him!
For this reason, I like to buy black dolls for people as a baby shower gift.
There is a good selection at http://www.pattycakedoll.com.
Also, there is a nice fair trade doll from Zimbabwe at http://www.tenthousandvillages.com
Perfect gift!! What a splendid idea!
Linny,
My daughter wanted at "Little Mommy" black baby when she was about 2. I bought it for her birthday and she loved that little baby. She carried it everywhere. One day, we were visiting my grandparents and my grandmother asked why I didn't buy her a little white baby. I explained that she wanted/asked for the black baby so that is what I bought. She had her heart set on that baby….Now, my daughter is 12. Who knows what that will mean in the future, but I'm sure God has been up to something especially after reading your post…Who knew at that time we would bring a 4 year old african treasure home some 8 years later from that time….I'm excited to see how God's plan unfolds in my daughter's life.
Seriously smiling – He is always at work around us! Always!
I LOVE this post and it is so timely for me! 🙂 I as a child had an African American cabbage patch doll….
We have adopted 2 special needs kids from China and have been home for right about 6 months. (we have 4 bio kids, so right now 6 kids ages range from 3-10) I'm feeling called to adopt again, 2 more… This time Ethiopia. Def not a coincidence that I had a little African American cabbage patch kid, it also not a coincidence that I took 2 yrs of an ASL class that was a week long when I was a teen. (my 2 from China are both deaf) God had it all planned out, and after reading this, light bulb moment went off. I WANTED that cabbage patch doll so much. My parents asked me why I wanted that one, I couldn't fully answer… 🙂 We are not financially ready (due to paying off the last adoption right now), but I am patiently waiting for when God says, ok, start the process to bring home another boy and girl! 🙂
I love this post and love reading all your posts! God Bless you and your family and all you do!
Love your story – and May Almighty God bless you exponentially in the days ahead that that little treasure comes home far faster than you could have ever dreamed – "He who has promised is faithful!"
Funny because Alei always asked for dark dolls. She had a set of small brown Cabbage patches that are still being played with around here.
Go Alei!! And look at your beautiful family! Love it!
Beautiful! I have chills from head to toe!
Isn't their four stories so very wonderful? I had tears as I did it – I was so excited.
I hope you know what my daughter will be receiving for her next birthday!
I left you a line on today's blog post! Run, don't walk.
My sister received an African doll when she was in kindergarten. ( I am four years older than her). We loved playing with that doll, especially me. And 40+ years later I have three "real" African babies….not so little. (Teenagers) (as we adopted older children).
Makes me smile big time – faithful God!
That is simply awesome! (and makes me want to run out and by my kids African dolls!)
I left you, as well, a note on the bottom of today's post. Read it!
Oh I love this! My daughter picked an African American doll when she got her first one. Then about a year later she asked for a African American boy doll. It had to be a boy this time. Not long after we brought home a beautiful boy, yes he is just like her little doll. They still play with these dolls and I know God has great plans for them. Whenever my daughter plays dolls, which she calls playing mommy and daddy she always has no less than 10 to 12 dolls and she always says she adopted them. So awesome!
Clearly your daughter is going to have an orphanage someday!! Perhaps she will come and lend Emmy a hand! xo
Everyone in my family had often thought about how odd it was that as a child I had always wanted an African American doll. One year for Christmas my mom and dad got one for me. I named her Angel. Extended family members gave my parents a lot of flak for granting my request and it just made me so much more pleased to stand up for the rights of my little doll. She was my most played with and loved doll thru the years and the only one from my childhood I had kept as a keepsake. My girls had played with her till they got their own favorite dolls they play with now. You are so correct in sharing this post and how God uses our dolls to plant seeds in our hearts as children. As my husband and I have adopted several times thru foster care and three of those adoptions were African American children. I am so happy to see this has happened to so many people! Undeniably the hand of our loving God.
By the way I enjoy your blog very much.
God be with you always, susan
I have no idea why but my first baby doll was a brown and beautiful Madame Alexandra baby doll. She only has a tuft of hair left as my sister encouraged me to open a beauty salon and provided scissors to me when I was three 🙂 But oh how I love my doll. I too came across your blog about your doll just over a week ago — wow! We have adopted a son and hope to adopt again. I've wanted to adopt since…well, there is no since, I think it has always been within me or perhaps brought to me with my baby doll. My daughter's first baby doll is brown and beautiful too. She tells us that when she grows up she will design her own home and have 12 children — 6 of whom will be adopted.
Maybe there is something to this … maybe we have happened upon the answer on how to get more people to adopt 😉
So interesting. I LOVED black baby dolls when I was younger. And asian ones too. They were the only ones I wanted to play with. When my son was 2, he saw a black cabbage patch doll in the store, and all but lept out of the cart to grab it. He insisted that THAT was the one he wanted. We still have it, of course. I believe God plants these things in our hearts long before we know his plans for us.
Just found your blog, had to comment. My sister always wanted, and eventually got, brown dolls. Surprise, surprise! She grew up, went on missions, married a Godly man there and has born her own "ethnic" babies. I have more than a few daughters now and one in particular is drawn to the brown dolls over others. I can't wait to see how this plays out!