Edwin's back!

We just got back from Nairobi and picking up Katie, Ryanne, and Matt and our time there was so much fun. It was great to be in a big city and eat things other than rice and beans (not that we dont love that, its just to be able to have a turkey sandwhich now and then) for a while...but ill post about that later...

Today we went to church at Oasis and I was so excited to be back and get to see all the kids. Afterwards we just kind of hung out and caught up with all the boys for a while...I wandered up to the hill at the top of Oasis and saw Moses, who I hadn't talked to yet, so I ran over to him and gave him a big hug and talked with him for a few minutes.
Then he grabbed my hand and said "Come here, I have something you want to see." So i followed him over to a group of boys and they all just sort of parted and there in the middle was Edwin, one of the boys who had run away over a month ago.


I immediately started crying when I saw him. I was so happy to just see his face. He looked different. He was a bit skinnier and wearing clothes I'd never seen before...not that i knew his entire wardrobe but most of the house boys have similar clothes...

He was a bit quiet but answered my questions, so I just sat with him for as long as I could before we had to leave. He told Moses he knew he was wrong for leaving and so sorry and he wanted to come back. He said he missed school and wanted to go back...



What do you say to that?
How do you look at this kid, this face that you love and tell him, kindly, that he was wrong for running away? How do you tell him he's forgiven and are happy he's back, but he lost what he had because he made many poor decisions?
The best that I could offer was tell him I loved him, was so happy he came back and that I've been praying for the best possible decision Lydia and Geoffrey could make, and I knew they would have a horrible time deciding but in the end they would make the right one...