This post finds me very saddened yet grateful over the loss of a precious little guy I met at Maria's Big House of Hope just about a month ago.  He was special to me in that he took me by surprise!  Steven and Stevey Joy had left to come back to the states, and Emily, Shaoey, and myself were going to be there for one more week with Show Hope Team #2.  Emily and I were standing in the lobby of MBHOH one morning when all of a sudden, in came two nurses with two new precious bundles.  A girl and a boy.  I had never witnessed an intake before, and I was just stunned as I was handed one of the babies.  Both of these precious packages were taken to the medical room for review and admittance.  Both heart babies, the little boy worse than the girl.  I was given the privilege of giving both babies their English names.  The little boy was without hesitation....Hudson, after James Hudson Taylor, an amazing missionary to China!  This little guy's eyes locked onto mine immediately and I knew I was in trouble!  I spent alot of the rest of my time rocking and singing and snuggling little hudson.  He was born on a 21st, which is the date of Maria's passing, and it happen to be the 21st of July when he arrived at MBHOH.  I was gentle with him as he was fragile and struggling to breathe at times.  Everyday I carefully walked him down to the "Cars" room and showed him the murals of Lightening McQueen and Mater!  Mater was one of Maria's very favorite characters!  Instead of choosing a new Princess or Hello Kitty blanket like her sisters one time, she chose...a MATER blanket!  I always talked to Hudson about Maria and what she was like and where she was at.  One day, while Emily was rocking Hudson, I was leaning over top of him talking silly like Momma's do....I was trying to get a first ever smile out of him!  I wouldn't have believed what happened next if I didn't have Emily as a witness.  I was saying in a very silly voice that I was going to pray hard that God would heal him.  I told Hudson that I longed to have him healed this side of heaven but if God chose to take him home early, an amazing little girl named Maria would be waiting for him when he got to heaven!  At the exact moment I said "Maria", Hudson let out his first ever giggle and smile.  It gave me goosebumps and I just froze.  I said, "Emily, please tell me that you saw that!"  She confirmed it and we just kind of marinated there in that moment!  When I left China and came home, I continued to pray for Hudson and to continue to think about all the little ones at MBHOH.  I knew that everything was being done that could be done, and I was so grateful that he had found his way to MBHOH.  I had a couple of days before Show Hope Team #3 was leaving, for China,  so I bought a blanket and had his name embroidered on it so that Hudson would have his own snugly blanket from me.  In someway....I hoped that he would sense it was from someone who was really fighting for him on this side of the world!.  I have sweet pictures of Show Hope Staffer Wendy Cosby giving him his blanket and showing pictures of us to his nannies.  I will always treasure these pictures.  Show Hope Team #3 got to spend time with the kids at MBHOH for a couple more weeks and came home mid August.  Many of the team members loved on Hudson for the Chapmans and I will always be grateful for that as well.  I received word a couple of days ago that he had taken a turn for the worse, and that he wasn't doing well at all.  I was really struck again at how short life can be, such a wisp of time and we will be in heaven....Tonight I got a call from my sweet, sweet Husband....just minutes before he was to walk on stage for a show. I could tell something wasn't quite right but I figured he just had his mind on the show....come to find out when he called back a second time...He had received the call that Little Hudson had been healed, and he was running in heaven with his new heart with absolutely no problems breathing!  I just know my Maria was waiting for him, and I have a sneaking suspicion that they may be cuddled up with popcorn watching "Cars" together!  She most certainly is the one qualified to inform him all about Mater and Lightening McQueen!  I can also hear her saying to him, just like she said it to us SO many times after watching that movie...."Hi, my name is Mater, like in TOE Mater....cept without the TOE!"  I am sad, I am heartbroken, but I'm not without Hope.  Without Hope, Hudson may never have heard the words.....Jesus Loves You, This I Know....sung to him over and over again.  God, who gave us Jesus, knew in His infinite wisdom that for such a time as this, God's people would move and Maria's Big House would be built.  I am so grateful tonight, as I lay here with my two girls, for everyone involved with making this amazing place happen.  Hope says that God can accomplish great things through His people who are willing to act....One little guy, with BIG brown eyes.. would be loved, cuddled, and sung to, right up until he was seeing the face of Jesus, with an anxious Maria peeking over His shoulder, busting at the seems to meet one of the residents of her namesake.  Thank You for listening to this broken but humbled heart.  For I know that weeping  lasts for a night, but JOY comes in the morning...and that truly God is and will always be working out His plans in us.  I am so honored to be a part....but to God alone be ALL the glory....May we always be found willing to do what He is asking of us.  I'm pretty sure His voice isn't loud and clear.....so get quiet and really listen to that still small voice.  Things might get risky and crazy and break your heart at times, but it is all worth it!  I leave all of you who are hurting or suffering in some way a quote from the man little Hudson was named after...JAMES HUDSON TAYLOR

"May this be your experience; may you feel that the Hand which inflicts the wound supplies the balm, and that He who has emptied your heart has filled the void with Himself." 

Everything including our pain is His, I am thankful He will meet me in it,

Peace to all of you tonight as you sleep,
Mary Beth