Coming on the World Race I knew that the Lord would capture my heart in new ways and reveal to me things about Himself that I wasn’t aware of. What I didn’t realize is that He would be so faithful and loving as to use something that He has already given me such a heart for to do that, something that grabs my attention and captures my heart no matter the country I am in.
I think children are the greatest people because of the way they view the world and respond to it. Their outlook on life is innocent and fresh; they see life with such purity, energy and curiosity, they love deeply, they laugh freely, and they give me hope.
Although I have always found little ones to be the sweetest and most special, the Lord showed me just how special they truly are during my time in Cambodia. There were children all around us on the streets and in our neighborhood. They were kids who knew nothing but love, children who were passionate and unashamed. They loved without question, gave without expectations, bridged our language barrier with laughter, and in my short time with them, they made me feel so loved and valuable.
There was one little girl early in the month that just let me feel her love through her sheer joy. I was walking through the park one evening, in the middle of a conversation with a friend, when I felt a light tap on my lower back accompanied by a sweet, joyful giggle. I turned around to see her smiling. A 6 year old girl looking at me expectantly, ready to be chased and tickled. I had never seen her before but I knew that she was special. So, for about 45 minutes I ran around the park tickling, playing and giggling with my new friend.
Did I know her? Nope. Did I love her? Absolutely. Why? Because she loved me first.
She chose to approach me, even though she doesn’t know me, she chose to love me, regardless of who I am, because love surpasses all borders. Limitations of age, language, culture, status, and ability melt away under the power of love.
I learned so much through the love and laughter of the little ones who lived in the building right next door to us. My neighborhood kids are extremely special and when I think about them I can’t help but grin. I feel like I don’t have the words to share with you just how much I love them. Everyday they heard the latch come undone from the gate they started to run to us before the gate was even fully opened, before we even walked out of our dorm. When I hadn’t seen them all day they would ring the bell and run away, filling the streets with their laughter, just to do it again. Their love was persistent.
A little girl with so much sass and love, probably no more than 3 years old, who gave endless hugs and kisses, a girl nearly 6 years old with boldness and a desire to make me sing ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen anytime I saw her, and a little boy who communicated through raised arms, anticipation in his eyes and a smile looking up at me knowing that it was his ticket to being spun around and around, and the trigger to his belly laughter. I started taking time out of my days to spend with them and every goodbye was accompanied with multiple kisses on the cheeks as they held my face close to theirs in their little hands and looked into my eyes.
My moments with these kids were memorable and special ones that I won’t soon forget and all of my interactions with these treasures have led me to one conclusion:
Children love like the Father.
My Father is full of love and compassion that doesn’t have conditions or expectations; He doesn’t care what I have done, He just wants to be with me. Every day He waits for me to unlock the gate and step outside where He will run to me, wrap me in His arms and make me feel loved, and if I don’t come outside He rings the doorbell to remind me that He is ready when I am. God loved me first, He chose me first, He loves me because He loves me.
Children love like the Father.
Without knowing anything about me these children chose to love me from the first sight, without conditions or compromises. Not knowing anything about me, about who I am or who I was, or even my name, they had faith and they made a choice. They loved me first, and I love them. God’s love is the same. He doesn’t care who we think we are or who others say we are, He knows us fully and yet loves us just the same. He cares who He says that we are and He says that we are His, He says that we are loved. He loves us because He loves us: There are no conditions.
Children love like the Father.
Coming on the World Race I was excited to meet people, build relationships and share Jesus through love. What I didn’t fully realize was just how much the ones that I met would leave a lasting impact on me, that they would change and touch my lives, that I would never be the same. I am thankful for moments like these, no matter how small, because these moments have meant big things for me and I pray the same is true for His little ones that He let me love and be loved by in Cambodia.
