Some time ago, I wrote about inspiring famous adult adoptees like Jamie Foxx, Faith Hill and Steve Jobs.
Today, I want to highlight for some and introduce to others a young adoptee that has literally danced her way into the hearts of her admirers.
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| Michaela DePrince - CNN.com |
Michaela DePrince, born in 1995 and named Mabinty Bangura by her birth parents, had every reason in the world to fail in life.
A quick snapshot of Michaela's feeble beginnings:
- Born in Sierra Leone during its 11-year Civil War
- Her father was shot by rebels during the Civil War -- one of the estimated 50,000 casualties -- when she was only 3-years-old
- Her mother starved to death soon after her father's death
- Orphanage workers mistreated, abused and neglected Michaela, labeling her "the devil's child" because of her "vitiligo", a skin condition causing depigmentation
- After her orphanage was bombed, she fled to a refugee camp
As I stated before, Michaela had every reason in the world to fail in life.
BUT...
Michaela had held on to a dream since finding a magazine outside the gates of her orphanage. In that magazine, she'd admired a picture of a ballerina. That picture inspired her and gave her hope - a hope that followed her to the United States.
A few months after she'd begun carrying the ballerina picture around with her, Michaela was adopted by Elaine and Charles DePrince of New Jersey. They enrolled her in ballet classes soon after her adoption, and at age 18, her life serves as inspiration to many.
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| BusinessInsider.com |
A snapshot of her accomplishments:
- She is currently the youngest member of the acclaimed Dance Theatre of Harlem
- She won a scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of the American Ballet Theatre after competing with 5000 other young dancers
- Michaela is one of five dancers highlighted in "First Position", a documentary showcasing the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School competition
- She has already toured three continents
- And the accomplishment that probably earned her the most Tweets and Facebook posts -- she had the privilege of performing on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."
Michaela is a long way from her orphanage and refugee camp.
AND she is no longer an orphan.
I've heard it said that one of the most inspirational words in the Bible is the word "but."
"But" denotes a transition, something that God has turned around. When reading the Bible, don't miss the transitions in the text that read - "But God..."
I feel a "shout" coming on!
Have you had a "But God" moment in your life? Has God completely turned around a situation in your life?
The doctors said there was no hope of healing for you, BUT GOD...
Your teachers said you would barely graduate from high school, much less college, BUT GOD...
You were told you would never have children, BUT GOD...
You couldn't figure out how you would make financial ends meet, BUT GOD...
The counselor said there was no hope for your marriage, BUT GOD...
Hallelujah!
When was your BUT GOD moment in life? Believe me, I've got a few of my own.
Like Michaela, God can turn our situation around if and whenever He wants.
Trust Him today for your next BUT GOD moment.
'Cause He's just good like that.
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