I watch them filter in-guys on one side, girls on the other. I can see Matt and Paul directly across from me. The others are blocked by the pulpit. We anxiously wait for the service to begin. Will we understand any of it? Will we even understand our translators? This will be interesting.
My mind flashes back to the park. Eva and Lindsay sitting on the bench. Smiles on their faces, hand holding hand. The joy of the moment as I take their picture. The kiss on the cheek. The way she’s not letting go. The sweet, sincere “I love you” as they finally part ways.
The organ starts playing as I’m brought back to this place. I sing what I can in Hungarian, though really, I’m clueless as to what that really is. I sit and I stand. I just follow the others. The one-woman show now moves towards the pulpit. I’m intrigued with what’s going on. Such a traditional church, yet a woman pastor-it’s just interesting to me. I wonder what she’s saying, what the people around us think. She then greets us in English and I’m a bit more relaxed. Maybe it won’t be that bad after all. I flip to the Scripture she says she’ll read from. I try my best to follow along.
My mind flashes to last night at the church. The passion, the intensity.
“Hallelujah”
“Amen, Amen!”
The words of the Lord spoken with such power, such conviction, such boldness, and truth. Words clearly being whispered in their ears from the Father.
My mind flashes again to the faces of children-of Joseph, of John, and the others. I see “Boom Chikaboom” and our fabulous play. I hear echoes of prayers against anger. I see children running about and us running alongside them. I hear laughter and sighs as they try to communicate-we want to take your picture. Hand motions work best. I see children in arms, kids being tossed. I see joy as far as can be. I see hearts getting broken (ours, not theirs) as we give all that we have to these kids.
How amazing it is that regardless of who you are, where you’re from, what you speak, or what you know (or don’t know!) you can still be connected with others through love.
My mind flashes back one last time to my day off with Ashley. The ice cream we ate, the laughter we shared, the truth that was spoken deep into my heart. The way she saw was there, my strength in the moment-I know that I’ve found a sister for life.
How wonderful you are Lord that you bring us all together, that you unite us all through the language of love. I thank you, my Lord. I thank you my Father for this gift that you’ve given us, this blessing we have-the ability to love and be loved. Grant us the ability to see others through YOUR loving eyes, to make use of this gift that you’ve so graciously bestowed upon us. Grant us your wisdom, grant us your peace, overwhelm and overflow us with more of your grace and your love. Claim every last piece of our hearts as your own so that all that we do may bring YOU glory, honor, and praise. May every thought that we have, every word that we speak, and every thing that we do be an extension of that love you give us. I thank you and praise you my Lord, my God, my Father, my All!
