When Dayna Mager, 29, of Michigan, uploaded images of herself and her baby Luella cuddling in their crib, they quickly went viral.
Her husband Matt had returned home after night worship to discover them sleeping together and had taken a picture of them.
Dayna had heard a story at church that day about an orphanage nursery that housed over a hundred infants but was quiet, which inspired the artwork.
Even though the missionary has been to close locations before, this one was even more devastating.
Dayna was taken aback when her host explained why the nursery was dead silent. He told her a story that would stay with her for the rest of her life. It was the reason she understood why so many children were ignored and lonely in the orphanage.
After crying for help for a week, these children lost hope that anyone would aid them.
They realized their pleas would not be heard in 10 minutes, four hours, or even a lifetime. They fell silent as they realized no one was willing to save them from the injustice they faced.
That night in the theater, I was overcome by a strong need that had never existed before. I made an unshakeable pledge to my young daughter Luella that I would always be there for her – no matter what.
When she had her first heartbreak or disappointment, we would do more than pick up the pieces; we would support her, encourage her to feel whatever emotions arose, and allow her to make informed judgments.
Even when our anguish or irritation threatened to overtake us, we would work hard to make her feel secure, knowing that our home was a haven where she could always seek refuge.
