coming to a close. I feel like I have just started mastering most of the kids names and starting to learn all of the personalities. It is going to be hard when the time comes to say goodbye. The month was mainly spent at the orphanage working and interacting with the kids. We have continued our 6am sports with the kids, have had English class in the morning, and VBS in the afternoons. Since we stay at the orphanage most of our time involves interacting with the kids in some fashion. We do have our own space here and have to make sure we get our own time.
(We are even with the kids at church on Sundays. Charlito fell asleep!)
As I mentioned in my last post, my team shared sermons on Sundays. I did not, as we have had some other mission groups here, and I am okay with that. As those of you who know me know – I don’t like to speak in front of groups of people… although I’m sure my time will come in one of the other countries we are going to, but I do want to share some of it with you.
Last month and this month God has been teaching me more and more about his LOVE. God loves each and everyone of us no matter what we have done or continue to do (even if we know it is wrong). There is nothing we can do to make him love us less – he loves us UNCONDITIONALLY and it is a free gift. I know that God loves me but I am starting to understand it more and more, even though I still don’t fully grasp it.
I love kids and I have loved being here at the orphanage. The kids show you love and they are ones that have helped me learn a little bit more about how much God loves me. There are times here at the orphanage that when we come into our living space the kids will come and call for us. When they call my name, sometimes all I have to do is acknowledge them with a smile and a wave which makes them happy. I love to see the way they react and their smiles then bring joy to my heart.
Thinking about how this makes me feel, it makes me wonder how God feels when we call on his name…. If you have kids, think about how you feel towards your child when they do something that brings joy to you heart – God feels this way about us but 10x greater. Are we calling out to God? Do we accept his love?
Learning more about God’s love has lead to me learning how to love more like God loves. (I talked a little about this in a post when in the DR as well) God commands us first to love him with all our heart, soul and mind and then to love one another as he has loved us. Are we showing God love? Are we loving one another as God loves us? I know this is something I am still learning to do. My prayer for myself has been from Ephesians 3:17b-19: “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” I pray that those I come into contact with will be able to see God’s love through me and be able to know it for themselves. I hope too that you know God’s love or will come to know it.
