We made it to Cusco, Peru! This month my team of six and I are working at an orphanage called Josefina’s House. At this house, there are about 15 screaming, giggling tots. We get to work alongside of the house “Tia(s)” to take care of and play with the babies. Talk about a crash course in parenting. We walked through the front door and were assigned 6 babies per two people to take care of in seconds.
I have to admit that the first couple of days while working there I felt apathetic to the work. I was counting down the days to our departure date. It was a strange emotion to feel, I mean I love babies. Here’s how the tots changed my views and attitude within days. I am now ecstatic to go love on them.
A little tot, let’s name him Billy, toddled right up to me the morning of our first shift, arms sprawled out for a hug. I scooped him up onto my lap and we cuddled for a while. Then, he saw something out of the window, so I lifted him up over my head to see it. Turns out, he loved it! Up, down, side to side, airplane was/is definitely his favorite game. We played it for hours until my arms were sore.
But did I mention these tots, Billy included, have a lot of uncontrollable drool? A couple of airplane fights in, splat, slobber right on the face. I quickly set him down to wipe it off. Thinking that was kind of gross, I hesitated to lift him again. But then I remembered the smile, the giggle, the pure joy of little Billy, so I hoisted him right back up. Again, and again, drool cascaded from the Heavens on my neck, arm, face. But, again and again, I lifted him or the others babies right back up into the air.
These babes suck up any love you can give them. Through cuddles, holding hands, head first hugs, or airplane rides, the children cannot get enough. It reminds me of how desperately we should seek after the Father’s love. It reminds me how God wants us to toddle up to Him and run into His lap, just to get some of His love. We should constantly raise our hands up to Him to be held. We might drool a little bit, but, man, He still wants to reach down to pick us up again. He is not scared to love us in our mess. So, unlike the courageous tots, why do we hesitate to run to Him? Why do we think it is best to handle our emotions or troubles all alone?
I want to seek love and companionship from the Lord first and for most, before any human.
The more old and self-sustainable I get, the harder it is to realize that I need to run to the Lord like a child. That I still need His love more than ever, just like the cute babes at the orphanage. They press into love and so should we. Our Father is the one that can speak truth to us and over us; He is the one that can fully give us the love and companionship we crave.
So here I am, so excited to look into the eyes of the children again. To see their joy and contentment when being loved on. I am so thrilled to see Jesus in and through their smiles, giggles, and slobber.
Prayer Requests: My team and our host family have felt attacked recently by what we think is a spirit of apathy and a spirit that destroys relationships. It has kept some of us awake, some of us reeling with indescribable emotions, and some of us just tired and well apathetic. In me personally, I believe it has manifested in me feeling lonely and apathetic to our time here. I wake up feeling those emotions very strongly; they, then, start to subside as the day goes on. Thank you for praying against this enemy, casting him out, that God’s angels will be round about us, and for peace in this home.
Also, it’s the end of the year and my final deadline for fundraising is coming up quickly. I am praying that I am fully funded by the end of the year. Would you consider helping me stay on the field?
