Thoughts, feelings, emotions all run together and bring such an impact that it almost knocks you to your knees…wanting to bow before a God who loves us so much…and loves these kids even more powerfully than we possibly can. How I want to bring all of these kids back to the US where their opportunities for a good education and a better life would be so much\uld bridge the language barrier and really understand the individual situations….but we hugged and cried and prayed with kids anyway.
Yet they have a certain joy through it all that we can admire. They seem happy in the simple things. Saturday night at camp, we gave out glow sticks. They played with them for an hour, swinging them around in the dark…having fun dancing to crazy music we had brought along…until we finally chased them off to bed. And they also seem to have a closeness to God that we don’t see in a lot of our US kids. At church on Sunday evening (where the music is INCREDIBLE!!!) they sang with a passion…hands raised…voices lifted…little kids, youth, young adults, older people. One song they often sing that has become a favorite for me (and I love that they sing it in Portuguese and add a verse in English)…"My Life is in Your Hands.”
“You don’t have to worry…..you don’t need to be afraid.
Joy comes in the morning. Troubles they don’t last always.
But there’s a friend in Jesus who will wipe your tears away.
And if your heart is broken, just lift your hands and say.
I know that I can make it. I know that I can stand.
No matter what may come my way, my life is in your hands.
With Jesus, I can make it. With Him I know I can stand.
No matter what may come my way, my life is in your hands.”
So would these kids be better off with us? Yes...no….but it’s a mute point. We can’t bring them home anyway. So we come, do what we can, share the love of God, the good news of Jesus, pray lots for them now and when we return home, and be thankful for Restoration Ministries and the on-going everyday work they do with these beautiful kids. Thank you for all your love, support and prayers while we have been here. It has been a blessing to be able to serve God once again in this place I have come to love so dearly.
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Amen my dear friend, Isn't God great to allow you to witness all of that and be a blessing to them at the same time? I'm so glad that God continues to use you on these trips and bless you with them at the same time.
ReplyDeleteLove you my old missions trip buddy...wish I had been there with you! Renee'