I’ve been asked this question before and every time I think my answer is different, sometimes I can’t even think of an answer. The past few weeks working here in Lesvos with the refugees has been tough but also so rewarding. I’ve been going through the motions at times, like it’s my job, there’s a task to do and it needs to get done. Not really taking time to get out of my own head and do anything but my “job” I was assigned to. There has been two constants while at the camp that have gotten me out of my head, the stars and children. The stars are so beautiful where we’re at here. Every single night I have seen a shooting star at the most perfect times, as if God was saying “Hey, I’m here in this. It’s ok.” It’s a good reminder to me that I’m not just here to get a task done and then leave, I’m here to make an impact and be Jesus to these people. It makes me come alive.
The other thing is kids, there are times where I’ll be walking from one side of the camp to another and I’ll just stop and play with a kid for a little bit. I wasn’t having the greatest day the other day, and a bunch of kids changed that for me. I was playing with one of them and he had some bubbles, I started blowing them to show him what they were and all of a sudden a slew of kids came out of no where and joined him. They went nuts, popping the bubbles before they even left the wand sometimes. In that moment, all I could do was smile. The joy in their souls from something as simple as bubbles was encouraging and lifted my spirits immensely. Other times I have stopped to just say hey to a kid and give them a smile and we end up playing tag or something that just makes them laugh and have the biggest smiles on their faces. That’s when I realize I feel alive, seeing the joy in other people.
The little things like this are what I will hold on to from this month. The struggles and hard times are there, but the good moments far outweigh anything else. Those are the times I will remember, the smiles I don’t want to forget. So what is something that makes you feel alive? When was the last time you truly felt alive? Hold on to those moments and the things that make you feel that way.
