I have witnessed selflessness when Stephen, who had not
eaten for a couple of days, claimed he was not hungry, for the purpose of
giving his portion to his little brother.
I have witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit as I watch
Cristofer transform from a boy defined by thinner and poverty to a young man
with a new family, home, and a desire to go back to school.
I have witnessed hope as I watched six Los Pinos boys get
baptized of their own free will, fully knowing the commitment that is
represented.
I have witnessed respect as Ariel and Carlos work hard to
clean Tony’s car as a surprise.
I have witnessed love as Henry quietly slipped one of his
few rings onto my finger last night, a gift to remember him by.
I have witnessed pride in Tony’s eyes every time he sees one
of his boys make a good decision or put someone else’s needs above their own.
I have witnessed patience as Tony waits for Cristofer to
cool down after a moment of relapse into his old self.
I have witnessed a new closeness as my team, of five
incredible women, sit by a campfire and do everything from laugh, cry, and
worship to sharing deep struggles and hurts.
I have witnessed forgiveness as I sit in a tent and have
four months of pain that I have caused to one of my teammates being forgiven in
seconds.
I have witnessed sacrifice as Ariel, who has only two shirts
(pink, his favorite color) and one pair of jeans, tied his only bracelet (the
colors of his favorite soccer team) on my wrist while saying, “te quiero,
mucho.”
I have witnessed God’s faithfulness in His response to
prayer in more ways than I ever imagined possible.
i have witnessed faith as Tony goes to take the boys to get dental work done, even though he does not have the funds to fully cover it.
I have witnessed healing in my own heart as I hold Cristofer (who would not come near me at first) and Ariel while watching movies.
God is good. All the time. It is His nature.
