As I sit here, in a coffee shop, in Antigua Guatemala…I am reminded that just one short month ago I was anxiously boarding a plane for my World Race journey and now, only one month in… my perspective has already changed…
Just as a photographer changes the lens on his camera, changes the focus point of his pictures, and changes the scenery of his photos…I too, am learning to embrace change.
With change comes the opportunity for growth and more so the privilege to alter my perspective from a narrow view of the world as I once viewed it, living in the small town of New Iberia, Louisiana to a wide view of different cultures, languages, people, surroundings, and even beliefs…
Upon first arriving here a month ago, my heart ached at the thought of change, the thought of leaving behind everything I ever knew, the thought of living out of a back pack with only the necessities, the thought of living with strangers I only knew for one short week…but now after doing a variety of ministries here, God has changed my camera lens & perspective while giving me a clearer view of the way HE see’s this world…the way HE views His people…and the overall blessings that come from my new more Christ-like lens….
One of the ministries I have worked with here is in a special needs hospital with people who have severe cerebral palsy. For those of you who do not know cerebral palsy is a general term for a group of permanent, non-progressive movement disorders that cause physical disability in development, mainly in the areas of body movement. It affects muscle tone, posture, and movement. There are 77 people ranging from the ages of 2 to about 30. Although I was in nursing school for almost 2 years and had seen many patients with several diseases and sicknesses, smelled many awful smells, talked with patients who had lost all hope…I was no where near prepared for what my eyes would soon see and my heart would soon feel. As I opened the doors to the room filled with these precious children of God, I became overwhelmed and emotions started to stir…But I knew God would never give me more than I could handle, so I took 3 deep breathes & recited one of my favorite scripture passages of all time,
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”- Philippians 4:13
I then walked up to a boy who immediately caught my attention. His name is Daniel. Daniel is a young boy who completely stole my heart. His feet are turned inward, he has two casts, one on his leg and one on his upper arm, he is unable to move his head from side to side, and he has the tendency to want to grab onto anything and everything he can get his precious little hands on. He cannot speak and only murmurs sounds every once in a once. Despite all his shortcomings and his disability, he has a constant smile that stretches from one ear to the other & joy exudes from within him.
Daniel, as well as the many other special needs children I have had the opportunity to talk to, sing to, and feed will always hold a special place in my heart, and I know they each hold a special place in Jesus’ as well. Most of them have been abandoned by their family, because they are unable to care for the many needs these individuals require on a daily basis. The nurses are extremely understaffed, so their job becomes just a routine of giving the basic necessities to them. One thing they are highly lacking is the love and affection of others, and THAT is what I was able to bring to them.
LOVE, by the simple touch of my hand to theirs. LOVE by singing songs to them and watching as their expressions go from sadness to happiness with each word. LOVE as I feed them the same bowl of blended cornmeal and water they are forced to eat daily. LOVE as my perspective changes from what “I can do to help these people where it seems like all hope is lost” to a perspective of my Christ-like lens…
Through these lens I no longer looked at them as different, but I looked for deeper spiritual meaning behind it all. As I watched their reactions to the LOVE I tried to share with them, I started to realize I related to them more than I originally thought. Although I do not have any physical disabilities, I do have disabilities that arise from within. These disabilities hinder my relationship with God and ultimately cause me to operate in my flesh instead of the way Jesus operated out of LOVE and only LOVE. I soon realized my role to these beautiful children was nothing I could do out of my own strength and my own works…But I had to operate out of the LOVE that Jesus tells me I have the authority to use.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20
This new perspective changed everything. I began to pray for them, declaring joy over their lives, declaring sweet dreams of angels, and that their eyes be opened to beautiful and amazing things. I began to ask God to give them child-like faith, to believe in things I try to rationalize. I asked Him to shower them with a peace that surpasses all understanding and for God’s healing hand to come down and touch each and every person in that room. I declared that their lives be filled with the holy spirit from that day forward.
The beautiful thing about my prayer to them is that I will probably never see the fruits of my labor in their lives, but one thing I know for certain is that GOD WILL. He heard my prayers that day & He continues to hear our prayers no matter how impossible they may seem.
My new perspective and Christ-like lens is teaching me to pray boldly, pray with confidence, & truly believe that through JESUS…
I CAN make a difference
my team CAN change lives
& this world CAN become a better place.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. –Mark 11:24
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. -1 John 5:14-15
And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask inprayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” –Matthew 21:21-22
