And Above all else…love.

 

I first met Vika in the countryside at her orphanage over a game of Connect Four. She had the most beautiful smile and her eyes showed so much hope, despite the fact she was left 9 years earlier by her parents at the orphanage. I saw her small photo album of friends and some extended family and I pondered to myself, how could ANYONE leave this girl—she is simply amazing!  The next week, I went back to visit my dear friend (who only speaks Russian and Ukranian by the way=) and instead of “talking”, we took a walk through this beautiful park and decided to take an impromptu photo shoot. I had not had that much fun in years—so carefree and alive! I knew at that moment, we were speaking a different language to one another-one of love.

At the same time my friendship was developing with Vika, I had the unique privilege to meet a soul friend. You know-those people that come around in your life once in a blue moon…the kind you could tell ANYTHING to and they truly care. Let me introduce to you Tanya.  At first glance, one sees a beautiful, young successful woman, but I know her as my dear friend, sister in faith and the one who knew exactly what it meant to love me. I know, you are thinking, but I thought you were there to love them (isn’t that the entire topic of this blog?). What I discovered this month was simple. As we give out love to those around us, love is given back in return. It’s like that Bible verse “Freely receive, freely give” concerning the idea of love. These two girls were easy for me to love, but that was not my case for everyone this month.

Take Tanya’s student, Richard, for example. From the exterior, he is tough and closed off to those around him. Yet given time and honest friendship, he opened up not only to topics of love but us as well! He was one I had to freely love and in return, he began to open up.

You see everyone has their own story, their own hurts, their “past” they are often ashamed of but it is our job as believers to love. “Love covers a multitude of sins” and I am finding that to be so true this year. As missionaries, what people see in us is LOVE. And love is God. So if we learn to treat people not as projects but with true, compassionate, unconditional love, they will understand the very core of who we are and what the Bible teaches.