There wasn’t really
anything unusual about the way my day started.
I woke up to a text
from my mom wondering if I’m safe. (The answer is yes.)
Then I got a text from
the girls who had spent the night at at the JAZ house. They were
ready to be picked up.
So, I got up, got
dressed and headed out to pick them up. The house isn’t far down the
road so it’s a quick trip and breakfast was ready when we got back.
I sat down to breakfast
with a few of the team and we started talking about what’s going on
today. Most people had a plan for the morning.
My wonderful co-leader
came in and asked me what I was going to do. I told him I just
really wanted to spend some time alone with Jesus. It seems like
every time I’ve tried to get away to spend some time alone with the
Lord I am distracted by something or someone. But this morning seemed like a great time to
get alone with the Lord.
As I was headed to my
room I noticed that a woman I had met earlier in the week was sitting
outside. I went over to say hello and see how she was. She was
waiting for some men to go and look at her house to see how they can
help fix the roof that is caving in and leaking. (They are actually
rebuilding her house today)
We chatted for a bit and then moved
inside so she could eat breakfast too. “Chatted” is probably a
bit generous. I speak no Tagalog and she speaks very little English
so really there was just a lot of smiling and nodding.
While she was eating
another group came by. They are here for the day and were getting
ready to go on a community feeding. I talked with them for a bit and
then washed the dishes from breakfast.
On my way to my room
again I see someone else that I met this week and stop to talk. As
we’re talking the group that’s going on the feeding is leaving and
invites me and one of my team to go. So, we hop in the van and head
out.
I love to go on
feedings. There isn’t much I can say to the people I meet but I
think there is more exchanged than the words can explain. I usually
just smile at the little ones and tell them they’re beautiful and
hope and believe that it sinks into their soul even if their ears
don’t understand.
We get back from the
feeding and it’s almost lunch time. My morning that I was planning
to spend with the Lord is just almost gone. I finally get to my room
and get a bit of quiet space to talk with Jesus.
I’m feeling a bit like
this unplanned morning has kept me from what I really needed. But,
here I am talking to the Lord and he tells me it was great to spend
the morning with me. It was great to have breakfast with me, and
talk with me and see the smile on my face.
Jesus doesn’t live in
my bedroom. Yes I do need those quiet moments with him. But I need
to remember that I can see him in the eyes and hearts and smiles of
everyone around me. I can know him by reaching out to this community
of beautiful people.
Matthew 25:34-36, 40
‘For I was hungry, and
you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me
something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked,
and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison,
and you came to Me.’ . . . . The King will answer and say to
them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of
these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
The full time staff
here at Kid’s International Ministries spend their days with all of
these things. Everyday people are fed, clothed, taught, LOVED. They
are so busy but somehow they always have time for the person who is
right in front of them. They stop and love on babies, they ask after
moms, they re-build houses. They walk slowly through the crowd and
listen and pray and then act. It’s beautiful and I think it’s the
most Christ like thing I’ve ever seen.
You should check out their website (
http://www.kidsim.org ),
like
them on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/kidsinternationalministries
)
pray that God continues to provide the supplies, energy
and love
that they need to keep doing what they’re doing.
