I had the privilege of teaching English in a garbage dump this month.
Throughout this month though, I learned a lesson that will impact my life forever. One that I’ll never forget. I learned what pure joy looks like, and I learned it from kids in the towns garbage dump, in a place called Cien Fuegos.
The conditions of living in Cien Fuegos were unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There were smells that I’ve never smelled, and sights that I never expected to lay my eyes on.
There was a river of sewage running through the town, puddles of sewage on the side of the road, piles of trash you have to leap over, mangy packs of dogs running wild down the street, kids with no clothes, and houses made of sticks and scraps of metal.
When you imagine this, you might think that the people would be depressed. I mean, if you made me live in that condition, I definitely wouldn’t be the happiest person. However, the kids in this place had more joy than anyone I’ve ever met.
During my time in Cien Fuegos I received the best hugs of my life (and gave more than I usually do!), had my heart overflow with love, smiled so much my face hurt, saw breathtaking views, and went on many adventures. The children in this town didn’t care that they didn’t have nice things, because they were filled with the joy of the Lord.
As I began to think about this concept, the Lord revealed to me how selfish I have been in my life. How we are taught that happiness comes from gaining things, or moments that make us “feel” happy. How many times in our lives do we think “I would be happy if I had….”? But these kids don’t “have” much, and they are joyful.
These kids lived joy. Whenever I saw them they inspired me to be joyful as well. I want to be so filled with the joy of the Lord, that people around me can’t help but catch it as well. I want to be so content with where I am in life, that my circumstances can never rob me of that joy.
The month has come to a close. It’s hard to believe that month 1 of my World Race is already over, and I’ll arrive in my second country in just a couple days. But one thing I’ll always remember, is that I want to be like the kids in the garbage dump.
