This past week has gone by so fast.
Saturday, we had an off day and went to some waterfalls and had a nice relaxing day.
Sunday we went to church and put on a program for the children and then danced all morning with them. They absolutely love my guitar. Seeing the smile on their faces make lugging my guitar around the world worth every second.
Monday, I went to the orphanage and I played with Maria again. This time she was smiling. Then we went to the park and played basketball.. I am so out of shape!
Tuesday, we went to the children’s hospital and I was in the girl’s room and we sang and played guitar and colored with them.
I gave my testimony at church on Tuesday night. It is crazy how what I planned to say became transformed into what God wanted me to say.
He put 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 on my heart.
And I was like- really? Everyone knows that verse.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.’’
That is love. God has opened my eyes to the fact that for so many years I thought that I was loving people, but I wasn’t. Because I wasn’t patient. I was self-seeking. I was rude. I didn’t love the way God wanted me to love.
Through the years, God has continued to love me and provide for me even when I haven’t loved him or his people the way that He tells me to love.
So now- It is my turn to love. I must be patient. And kind. And be selfless.
Because without love, I have nothing. But with the love of my God, I have everything.
What was crazy was that after I gave my testimony, and spoke on true love, the preacher at the church said how she was going to speak about love. And about that verse that night.
Coincidence? I think not.
Wednesday, we went to the special needs school and played with the children. We were human jungle gyms. I LOVED it. I have such a passion for little kids. Seeing them smile makes my day. After the school, we went to the elderly home and sang and danced with them and Fernando ( a man there) played my guitar and sang for us.
Thursday, I slept until lunch because unfortunately, I got sick Wednesday night.
But, I’m good to go now. My team went down to the bay, and some got in the water, but I could do nothing but sleep. It was nice to rest though. Then we went to the bars and visited with the prostitutes. Some recognized us from last week, so it was good to be able to be a light and love on them this week.
Friday, we went to the dump. I couldn’t process anything. All I could do was stand and play my guitar and sing “you’re the God of this city.” It is hard to fathom that these people LIVE on top of trash. That is all they know. They get excited about new loads of trash coming in because there is a chance that there is plastic bottles that they can recycle and get money for.
Saturday we decided to the beach and relax on our day off. 23 of us were piled into a panel van and it was just lovely. The beach was so beautiful. I was standing under a palm tree looking into the ocean and thinking, “this is my life.”
What an amazing experience.
Still, quite the process.
Every day is so different.
We experience new things every single day.
We meet new people every single day.
In one moment, I will be turning facing the city dump, and then i turn around,
and all I see is God's beauty. Revealed through the mountains.
In one moment, I will walk past a naked child who is gnawing on the core of a piece of fruit,
and all I see is God's joy. Revealed through the smile.
Even though every day changes and every day is hard to process-
one thing remains constant.
My God, and his love.
I'm holding on to that love that he is revealing to me.
And I'm taking that love and spreading it to the people that I pass.
So that maybe… through my smile, they can see God's joy shining through.
Yo tengo alegria alegria en mi corazon.
(I've got the joy, joy down in my heart)
