This is my eighth month on the race and probably my hundredth goodbye. Let me just say as the months pass the “goodbyes” don’t become easier. This month, just like every other month, we’ve had to say our goodbyes, but this month in particular it was a lot harder for me.
We have had pretty scattered ministry this month and I have absolutely loved each one of them. We worked with struggling teen girls and got to speak identity and truth into their lives. We worked in schools and got to hang out with middle and high school students. We even handed out flyers about Jesus on the side of the road. However my favorite ministry of all was working at a home that has 15 special needs orphans.
This home/orphanage is run by a gentleman named Paul and his wife. Paul is one of the most patient men I have ever seen. He loves the children so well and really has a heart for special needs kids. He and his wife came to Bolivia to adopt a child and felt a call from the Lord to adopt special needs children. This calling not only allowed them to adopt 8 children, but also allowed them to start this home. They only accept special needs children or children who have serious illnesses. Some of the children in the home have HIV/AIDS and other orphanages won’t accept them due to their sickness.
These kids are simply amazing. Half of them can’t speak or walk but their smiles are infectious. Our first week of ministry we got the opportunity to work at the children’s home for a day and it was so much fun. The kids are so cute and have the biggest personality. We got to play with them, feed them snacks and even do physical therapy with them. After that day we found out that it wasn’t possible to go back due to our busy schedule with YWAM. This literally broke my heart, I fell in love with these kids very fast and wanted to spend all my time there.
On Monday we were told we had the morning off and wouldn’t be doing ministry until after lunch. I took this as a great opportunity to head over to the children’s home and visit all the sweet kids. A few of us went to the home to hang again for a few hours. Once it was time to say goodbye my heart started to hurt again. I really fell in love with these kids and didn’t want to leave but knew we had stuff to do. We left and each morning after I would wake up and I would pray, “please God give us some free time so I can go and visit the kids just one last time”.
Wednesday through Saturday we had a really busy schedule at the school where we were teaching, and I knew it wasn’t possible to go see the kids again. Little did I know that we were gonna have a huge break in the day on Saturday! God is so cool by answering my prayers like that! I immediately asked if I could go visit the kids one last time and was told yes! It honestly made my whole day!
When I left the home yesterday I had time to reflect on our month of ministry and how much it impacted me. I got to see Jesus through these special needs children who have the warmest hearts. I don’t know if the goodbyes will ever get easier or if I’m just gonna fall in love all over again next month, but I do know that the Lord places us in these particular ministries for a reason. I love those kids so much and can not wait to come back and visit. PEACE
XOXO
Heather
