Walking down a dusty Thai village road, a young girl pulled on my hand, guiding me closer to one of my teammates.
As she grasped our wrists, she jumped up. Trusting perfect strangers to hold her up as she swung between our arms.
While wandering down the road, I reflected on all the children I’ve interacted with in the past three months.
I thought of my little cousins back in the United States who clung to us as they floated around our pool at my goodbye party and of each of their sweet hugs as they said goodbye.
Of sweet Evie and Ankit, the young kids we lived with in India. Of their joyful smiles and how quickly they handed us their hearts.
Of the kids we tutored in India who enthusiastically greeted us and hugged us goodbye each day as they shouted “Hasta Luego.”
Of the little boy who followed us during our home visits in India into his neighbor’s homes, plopping down in our laps.
Of the homeless shelter that we visited one afternoon in India where children tried to do front flips between our arms during the few moments that we had with them.
Of the girls in the slums of Nepal who held my hands as the other kids played soccer in the dingy little room we met them in.
Of the small children in our Nepali host’s home who sat in my lap and drew me pictures within the first hour I knew them.
And, of course, the forty children we’ve lived with this month who have loved us recklessly and who’ve graced us with more hugs than I can count.
As I think back on each beautiful face, I see resilience in the face of adversity. I see hope. But, most importantly, I see the face of Jesus.
They have blessed me more than I could ever bless them.
It is in these children that I see the hope, faith, and trust that Jesus asks us to have.
Like the young girl who grabbed onto my wrist yesterday, I want to reach out to Jesus and trust that he will hold me when I jump.
I don’t want to become so calloused by the world that I lose the ability to have childlike faith.
People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” – Luke 18:15-17
See also Matthew 18:1-5 or Mark 10:13-16
If you are wondering why I haven’t been posting as much this month (besides limited wifi), this picture is an accurate description of how much personal time we’ve had:
