Secret Treasures: Sons and Daughters
“This is what the LORD says:
“I will go before you level the mountains,
I will smash down gates of bronze
And cut through bars of iron.
And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches.
I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD,
The God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.””
~ Isaiah 45:2-3
The Race for me so far has been a treasure hunt; an invitation from God to discover secret riches buried in the depths of His heart. It has been an opportunity to explore the vastness of His Kingdom and encounter untold stories where “the least of these” are not ignored but sought out as precious gems.
India was full of priceless treasures! Some were found in fleeting moments, others in lasting memories.
One of my favorite finds was during a school assembly at a boarding school in Kolodi, a nearby village, for orphans and children from low-income families. Our team was seated left of stage with three hundred curious eyes pretending to pay attention to the cultural presentation happening at center stage. The invisible barrier was easily broken with a spontaneous ‘game’ of smile and wave.
I would scan the crowd of wandering eyes seeking to connect with a smile and wave. Without fail, the child’s response was to blushingly burry their face in their hands and sheepishly giggle with their neighbor. The opportunity to learn their names was never presented but the anticipation in the room of being recognized and known was irresistible. This game was a way to connect from a distance as if to say “yes, I see you and know the One who calls you by name.”
Our last 10 days of ministry in India were spent living at Kurunalay, an orphanage for children infected with HIV. Kurunalay is Marati for “Compassion” and the Kurunalay orphanage is a beautiful depiction of The Father’s heart of compassion for the orphans who live there. Twenty-five children with 25 unique stories that brought tears to my eyes. Only, they are no longer orphans, but sons and daughters. Secret riches in the Kingdom of God.
One of the twenty-five is a mute girl named Nilima. At five years old, she was found wandering the jungle with her older brother, Nilesh. Wild and weak, they had clearly been left to fend for their own survival. When they both tested positive for HIV, they were dropped off at Kurunalay orphanage. Eight years later, Nilesh communicates freely, but Nilima remains silent.
Upon our arrival, Nilima remained seated as all other children rose one by one to introduce themselves to the team. She didn’t smile for days. Trapped inside, unable to express the depths of her thirteen-year-old heart, she struggled to engage freely like the other children.
Until, one night, I gave her a blank piece of paper. I invited her to join the kids in writing her name in glitter and decorating the page with stickers. The moment she held up her completed work of art, she cracked the most beautiful smile! I can’t explain it but from that moment on there was release in her to begin communicating on a whole new level. Her smile turned into laughter and laughter into dancing. By the end of our time at the orphanage, she was pointing to objects and people and learning to speak in simple words.
The day the kids had off from school our team threw a party just because. We hired a cook to make a traditional Indian meal the kids associate with big celebrations. We bought party supplies from the market and blew up over 100 balloons as part of the decorations. The girls all wore princess crowns and the boys each got a mask. We started the day with face painting and ended the day with an epic two-hour dance party, World Race style.
Chains were broken and joy was released overflowing. Hearts wounded by the harsh reality of being abandoned and shunned for no fault of their own came alive as they experienced the tangible reality that they are worth celebrating, especially Nilima. The memory of dancing with her is one of my most cherished treasures from India. (Look for the girl in the red kurta, twirling, laughing and dancing in the video below. She is a priceless picture of the Kingdom of God that was released during our stay at Kurunalay).
This video, Sons and Daughters, contains snapshots of both the fleeting moments and lasting memories of the secret riches I found in India; the beauty of orphans who are known as sons and daughters. May your heart also come alive as you share in these memories.
Much Love,
Steph
[Real life World Race moment and a not so treasured reality: as I type this blog in silence at 2 am, a delicate rummaging in the kitchen interrupted me. I regretted my curiosity to investigate the moment I turned on my headlamp when I discovered a family of cockroaches emerging from our cupboards to explore the food sitting in grocery bags on the counter… Welcome to the World Race.]
