Our last day of ministry was priceless.
My team and I hopped in the back of a pickup truck full of packaged food and veered through the muck and hills of Panama. A sense of freedom touched my soul as the wind caressed my face.
We got to our first house and I jumped off the bed of the pick up and heard James say, “This is an extra large house, grab 2 bags of A and 2 bags of B”
James is a retired Army Vet. 60 years old, he dedicated his life to serving those of the indigenous tribes of Panama.
Every month he comes through the trenches and forests of Panama to bring food to these people. It started out as a mini food distribution ministry, but through his hard work and persistence he was able to create life long relationships with people that we could barely even get to smile for us.
As I hop down, I look and see that we are basically hiking to this families house. The bags are very heavy and lucky me, I’m carrying one. The hill to get down to the house was so steep and covered with gravel. It was too steep for me to walk, so I started to sit down, put the bag in my lap, and began my scooting descent towards the foot of the hill. Call me ratchet, but I need my ankles.
A little boy from the bottom of the hill saw me and ran up to come grab my bag while James led me by hand so I wouldn’t have to scoot. That moment of kindness touched my heart.
As we enter the house, I am blown away by the immediate presence of joy. I take a minute to soak it in, but then reality hits me, I look around and I am shocked. The frame of the house is a few poles of bamboo, with plastic rapped around it. I felt a drop of water hit my head, up above me was a roof made of clear tarp with many holes. Around me were table like frames with vines holding together pieces of wood. These were their beds. 10 people lived in this little house. 2 wives, 1 husband, 8 children, 4 were under the age of 6, with 1 newborn baby. One of the older girls who was 13 led me outside. This is where she would bathe and shower. It was a little creek with clear water.
We were basically walk hugging, she loved hugs. Her smile was contagious and my mind could not understand how a girl who has nothing is smiling from ear to ear. It was as if no matter what happened, her smile would never break.
She encouraged me more then she will ever know. Her heart and spirit showed through her smile.
We make our way back inside and as everyone sat there listening to this family’s story, this young girl was wall to wall grinning and laughing despite her family around her who carried very little joy. I could see the trouble, un-trust, and heartbreak in their eyes, even though they smiled, I could still feel their pain.
Then there was that young girl who couldn’t help but smile, her papa told us that she never stops smiling, that her smile comes from her heart.
I can not recall her name, but I believe that is how it is supposed to be, because in my heart her name will forever be Joy.
I want to remember why I have Joy, and that no matter what happens in life we have access to joy. We have the joy giver right at our fingertips, Jesus and that’s enough. The world can take everything from you, you could be born in a situation that looks as though there is no hope, but in the end a sincere smile can be the first step in finding joy.
Joy, I know you will never see this, but thank you for your smile. You have changed my life. I will pray and think of you often. Whenever I think of you I will remember why I have joy, and I can only hope that I impact people the way that you have impacted me.
Love Always,
Sara
