We leave Bolivia tomorrow and I can’t help but look back on my initial goals for Bolivia. I set out to fully invest myself in ministry. I desired to grow in serving others the way that the Lord does. This month, our main task was to build relationships with the girls who live in the house we are serving at. I typically gravitate toward relationship building so why not pour everything into ministry this month.
11 girls. 11 beautiful, talented, loving and joyful girls. 11 girls I struggled to communicate with. 11 girls who struggle with addiction. 11 girls who have completely broken my heart in all of the right ways. 11 girls who will forever be burned into my memory.
This month is different. This month I’ve felt true joy in the midst of genuine heart break. I have cried over broken conversations on google translate about abuse, addiction, love, loss and true human suffering. I have wept in pure joy as I heard the words “I love you” come from the mouths of girls who have completely transformed my idea of love.
The other day, as I stood in an over five minute embrace, I wondered what more I could offer them. What more could I give them but a hug or a few words in my broken Spanish. But that was it, that was all I could offer but that was more than enough. Love. I can give them love. Sometimes that love comes from a simple hug, it comes from an attempt at google translate, from a warm hello and a genuine joy to see them. It comes from Jesus.
Each day I walk into the house with a welcome that involves 11 hugs, kisses and squeals of excitement. Each day I wake up and my heart yearns to see their faces, to embrace them, to love them. Each day my heart breaks as they share their stories, as they share their lives with me and each day my heart leaves more full than it was when I entered.
The goodbyes here are far harder than any goodbyes I have had to say yet on the Race. However, I cherish it because I know that in order to miss something this much, there had to have been genuine and deep love.
This month is different. This month I am different.
Happy New Year!! I hope that the Lord continues to transform your lives as we move into 2018. I have a feeling this will be the greatest year yet!
I love you all,
R
