Smile Language

 

We arrive in a village. We have never been to nor speak the
language. We are still even getting use to the culture. Our outreach consists
of Issan music and a program for anyone who comes from the village.

 

 

Many times when we get there Noom and Karis (our
translators) encourage us to go and build relationships with the people and
children. In my head I am thinking, ‘what? I can’t even speak to them.
Is it possible to build relationships with people that I can’t talk to?’

 

 

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

I start to think about what a relationship is. Communicating
and loving. You can do these things without talking. So I set out to
find anyone who will attempt to communicate, usually with sign language. Anyone
that I can show love to without words.

 

 

My normal hello with the children is to attempt to get them
to give me a high five. When that works I continue to try to communicate
and love them anyway I can. Usually it turns into Smile Language. A
smile is worth a 1000 words. Just walking up to a person and smile it
communicates so much.

 

 

It can show them love, truth and comfort.
I can show them the love that Jesus gives without my words. The people who are
dirty, unloved, poor, widowed or cast out. They can receive love with just a
smile.

 

 

So my relationship starts with just a smile. And a high-five
of course!

 

 

You can build relationships without words.

I lived that this month.