The World Race is not as glamorous as it may seem.
Like much of social media, our news feed can give off a false perception of what life really looks like everyday.
Upon arriving in El Salvador, my team has experienced some obstacles. Through that, the Lord has been showing me to seek his goodness in the little things and be grateful in what I have been given.
One of the obstacles we have faced as a team is our housing arrangements drastically changing. Unfortunately we have been banned from our hosts neighborhood we were supposed to stay in because of being World Racers/Christians. Our housing situation consists of the smell of sewage lingering outside the front door, two little rooms barely fitting our sleeping pads, the dirt floor in the bathroom area, the dead and live bugs sitting in the water we bucket shower with, the nightly visits of flying cockroaches, and our newest unwelcomed visitor, a rat, who was spotted last week crawling on our packs.
A very drastically different image than the waterfalls I was graced with last Saturday for a few hours.
Now, I don’t share this for anyone to take pity on my team or prayer for better housing. Through the people I have met, I’m realizing just how much I have to rejoice in.
This month has held many sweet and tender moments of the Fathers love.
I have had the privilege of serving meals to street kids, prostitutes, transgenders, drug addicts, and the homeless in El Salvador every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night. This ministry, Pan y Chocolate, has opened my eyes to the brokenness all around me and the power in meeting people where they are at with love from the Father.
I’ll never forget the giggle of the little homeless boy Alanzo who wore nothing but a t-shirt and underwear. The first time I met him he was playing with used a computer mouse as a toy and last week a car squeegee. When I first met him, his drugged dad had scolded him for nothing more than just being a kid. Tears streamed down his face as he quietly cried. A friend and I waved for him to come over to us. We quickly learned that tickle fights are his favorite as his tears disappeared.
I’ll never forget Evelyn’s sad eyes when I met her. Her eyes were coated with bright shades of pink and purple eye shadow as her outfit clearly revealed why she was walking the streets at 10:00pm. Evelyn is a 19 year old prostitute who stands at the corner of the streets in San Salvador. She shyly took the food we offered her and engaged in small talk with me. Her smile radiated such beauty and I pray that she would discover her true worth.
Little Oscar who ran into my arms just to be held and snuggled. He is only four but born out prostitution and drug addiction. He is a street kid born into a cycle of poverty and brokenness. He reeked of urine but holding him in my arms I felt the Fathers heart for this little nino. He didn’t care about the food we served him. Every time I offered it to him he said no and squeezed me tighter as he rested his head on my shoulder. He knows my visit is short and that’s the worst part for me. There are so many things I wish I could say to him or do for him. Honestly, It takes everything in me to not kidnap him. Oscar just wanted to be held, wanted to be loved.
There have been many times this month when I wish I had more words to speak. To communicate the Fathers heart through conversation. Yet, I’m learning that love has no barriers. The Lord is also reminding me of the power of the Holy Spirit within us. The light we carry within us shines brightly. As children of God, we usher in the presence of God everywhere we go. The atmosphere shifts because we carry the Love that conquers all.
My time with these beautiful people are always too short. They have reminded me how blessed I am and how grateful I should be for the living space I have been blessed with this month, the community I have, and my supportive and loving family back at home. My prayer for Alanzo, Evelyn, Oscar, and the many others I met is that they would feel the Fathers love for them with every touch, smile, hug, and prayer and that would change everything for them.
My biggest joy this month…
Watching Alanzo run down the street to greet me expecting a tickle fight and seeing his face light up and hearing him gasp with excitement when I gave him a real toy to play with.
Love doesn’t always look big and extravagant.
Sometimes love is buying a homeless kid a toy and telling him he is worth it.
