The day felt scattered and not as “full” of ministry as a typical day here usually does. As we made our way up the hill and out of the city to a small, forgotten area of aluminum shacks and mud-slick, uneven roads, I tried to get my heart right and my attitude in check.
Why are we going here today, at this time? It’s late afternoon and it seems like we will just be interrupting people while they prepare for dinner. My thoughts were not what they typically are in these situations, and that bothered me. This whole month, I have seen God’s timing pan out in such gracious ways, so why had I started to doubt Him now?
We forged a new path off the route we know well to a new side street piled with shacks. Our host always seems to know just where to go at each moment, so he walked confidently in the direction of a house that was about two rooms wide. Behind it was a large field of green, and it wasn’t as close to other houses around it as others seemed to be.
An older couple sat outside and smiled warmly as we approached. The woman beamed up at us with a toothless grin from her beat-up, wheeled office chair with a cardboard reinforcement on the seat of it. Her beautiful, brown, expressive eyes met mine and I saw Jesus in her.
Tanner prayed a prayer of blessing over her, as she is the only believer on her street. She told us that she faces constant harassment because of her beliefs, but that she continues to pray for her neighbors.
Feeling lighter and slightly more inspired after that encounter, we moved on to a peachy-orange house filled with women and babies. Honestly, no exaggeration. About 8 young ladies and their littles piled out onto the porch, and I just wanted to cuddle every squishy face that came out of that front door.
In that moment, I felt God say, “Alyssa, hold one of these babies.”
Even though I directed children’s ministry for two years, this gravitational pull that draws me to children everywhere we go in this country still surprises me.
So I held a baby.
I don’t know what his name is, but he was one of the cutest babies I’ve ever held. The whole time Tanner prayed with the main woman of the house, I held that stinky little angel, staring into his eyes as he looked up at me.
As we were making our way to the next house down the street, three older kids approached us in fascination, following us back to what turned out to be their home. As Lindsey spoke and prayed with their mom, I stayed in the yard with the girls, playing around, hugging and dancing with them.
As much as they were fascinated with my Americana appearance and presence in their world, I too was fascinated by their whimsy, joy, and welcoming hearts. And just the same as the last house, that pull to the young ones resonated with me on our long walk home.
I started thinking about how my ministry here this month has clearly been children’s ministry. Just as I did at a large, American church, I will gladly hold a baby or dance around with a sassy ten year old girl so that their parents can hear about the love of Christ because to me, it is so important for families to be centered on Jesus Christ. It brings me great joy to see Him transforming the hearts of those who have sweet youngsters, because that means they will hopefully raise their kids up to love and accept Jesus as well.
Ironically, it took leaving my job in children’s ministry to see that the Lord has gifted me in this area and tuned my heart to pour out a whimsical love on His young kiddos around this world. As I move on to new places with new kids to meet and hug, I pray that I would take on my role with grace and confidence. I will continue to meet those babies right where they are to show them even just a glimpse of His love.
