The first of several delayed posts!
Written 1/19
Several days ago, we took the entire orphanage to the beach. While this was at times really stressful, it was incredible to watch the children play in the ocean.
The kids playing in the ocean is an incredible metaphor for the love of God. In their minds, the ocean is vast, and borderless. The majority are around 3’ tall, so we allow them to go about waist deep. Actually, I’m not sure many of them can swim. The joy of the children at 1.5’ deep is much greater then when I stand at the same depth. The waves that gently splash my knees, knock them over and they scream with joy.
To go deeper, they must loose control. On the shore, the water is lukewarm, the waves gentle, the creatures small and harmless, the riptide nonexistent. Each step deeper requires effort. The water grows colder, the waves stronger, even the wind begins to gust. The riptide grows stronger, threatening to pull their feet out from underneath them. As the waves approach with greater and greater intensity, their are two distinct reactions: screams of joy and screams of fear. Those who scream in joy marvel at the power and vastness of the ocean. Those who scream in fear cannot give up their control and return to the lukewarm shallows.
