Whenever I talk to people on the squad I hear a lot of the same thing… “The Race isn’t what I thought it would be.” That’s true. It’s not all radical moments of seeing people healed and set free. There are absolutely those moments of sharing the gospel through Google Translate and the hostel worker deciding to follow Jesus afterwards. There are moments of people being able to walk and see again.
But most of the time, we find ourselves washing more dishes than we have in our entire lives. We find ourselves folding a stack of clothes that we will feel like is never going to end. We sometimes find ourselves wondering why in the world we are here. Doing this. Learning community while washing dishes. Why we are here sweeping floors when we thought it was going to be all adventure.
My answer? Because what if washing dishes is actually bringing the Kingdom of God to this earth? What if taking some of the load off of the women at this children’s home is showing them His love more than sharing the gospel with them? What if helping them feed the kids so that maybe, just maybe, they can get into bed at a decent hour shows them His love?
I’m learning what it is to fight for people. I am called to fight for orphans. I am called to fight for this squad and their journey with the Lord. I am called to fight for the ones that can’t always fight for themselves. My definition of fight has changed drastically over the last week. With a whole lot of tears the Lord has shown me that sometimes fighting looks like being still and letting go. It doesn’t quite look like a fight at all.
So, here I am at a children’s home in the middle of Ecuador. At home I fought for orphans. I fought for kids who couldn’t speak for themselves. I fought to get them to a safe environment. Here, the kids are in a safe environment. They have people fighting for them. So, how do I fight for kids who already have the social worker fighting in the aspect of how I know how to fight?
I sit.
Still.
With them while they watch a movie. I let them in my space. I get in theirs. I learn the guitar and they sit around and listen to my rookie strumming. I push them on the swing. I help the women wash dishes and fold clothes. I help the women feed the kids. I let them climb on me like a jungle gym. We just look at each other and laugh because we don’t actually know each other’s languages.
Because all of those things, in this moment, bring more of the Kingdom and more of His love than me preaching the gospel. I don’t have to use words to show love to these kids and these women. That’s what I’m learning. I don’t have to be exhausting myself in the way that I think fighting should be.
I would rather be a doorkeeper. Jesus served. He washed feet.
For a few weeks I am at a ministry called For His Children.
It is a home for kids with and without disabilities. I have been here for a week and this is a ministry that I absolutely believe in. They are doing some incredible things for these kiddos and if you are looking to sponsor a child or even adopt, this is a place that has both. Checkout their website HERE to see how you can help! I love this place. I love what they are doing. I love how they love their kids and how they are making a good life for them here. It’s not everyday that you see a good children’s home in a foreign country so please check them out!
This is the volcano right in our backyard that we sometimes hear rumbling:
On this day we taught the kids about Jonah and the Whale and they traced hands to make a fish:
The ones that can’t trace got to color a fish made out of a paper plate
