As we drove off in our liaison’s Hyundai, tears began to show from behind my aviator sunglasses. “This is going to be the hardest year ever,” were the only words I could get out of my mouth; and my teammates agreed.
We had just spent the day leading a vocational bible school session in Ngurte, a very small, rural village in Manipur, India. It was a bumpy 45-minute ride on pothole-covered dirt roads along the edge of the mountains to get to the 40 waiting children. We walked into the small, bare village church and that’s when I saw her. Her name is Sarah, and that was the moment she stole my heart.
Sarah was wearing a brown sweatshirt and blue corduroys that were too big for her and kept slipping down. Her smile was the biggest little smile I had ever seen. She is such a joy filled three years old. As the children practiced their Bible song for competition, she lite up the front row right by me. (In India, children in the church learn a song and memorize a Bible verse in unison to be used at a competition each year.) God put her on my heart more with each giggle and smile. My team led games, acted out a Bible story, drew pictures and taught the children fun songs.
We spent the day laughing, loving, and learning. It was filled with awkward moments and smiles. I cannot fully express in words everything that happened that day; so many emotions were felt and so many activities were done. But when it came time to say goodbye it was heartbreaking. Both sides had opened our hearts up so that we could have the most enjoyable day. Both sides had made connections with each other. Both sides were now feeling the inevitable parting. As we were walking to our vehicle Sarah ran up besides me, grabbed my hand, and escorted me to my final destination. She raised her arms up to me to signal that she wanted me to lift her up again. As I picked her up off the ground, I whispered, “last time,” in her ear. We gave each other the tightest hug we could, filled of love and happiness. I then set her down, we got into our vehicle, and drove off. The children ran along the sides of the road waving and yelling “goodbye!” And that’s when the realization came about what this year will be.
This year is going to be one of the hardest years of my life. It is going to mold and shape me in ways I have never even imagined for myself. It is going to give me a future that I could never have even dreamed for myself. It is going to bring forgiveness, peace, and hope. I am going to find who I truly am thru knowing people like Sarah. Sarah, who softened my heart and showed it love. This year, God is going to show me what love actually is.
