I mean literally swarmed?
The children here in the Philippines speak English, which at first we thought was great, but quickly found out could have a serious downside.
We went to bed and woke up to children shouting "Watz ur namee?"
We realized that those words were all the English some kids knew,
so they would just use them over and over again.
Honestly, it was hard.
I seriously felt like a celebrity on the red carpet being bombarded with wild fans and gossip reporters.
I had been so excited that I could actually communicate with these kids without a language barrior, but our conversations weren't what i hoped.
They were a circular rotation of "wats yur name?"
"My name is Brittany, what's yours?"
"BRITNEY SPEARS!?"
"Yes, like Britney spears."
"Wats yur name?!"
Our team had to have a big talk about it, because honestly, we weren't being fair to the children.
We got tired of the looping conversation and started sometimes straight out ignoring them.
It embarrasses me to type it, but it was the reality.
It took about a week, but slowly the Lord changed my heart.
One afternoon I was sitting outside on a bench when I young teenage girl who I recognized approached me and sat down with me.
She said "Hi Brittany."
I responded with "Hi," embarrassed that I didn't know her name.
I sheepishly asked and found out her name was Abigail.
I used it in conversation excessively, committing to not forget sweet Abigail's name.
She then proceeded to ask me questions and I felt as though I was being interviewed for Seventeen magazine.
What is my favorite color?
What is my favorite food?
What is my house like?
What do i like to do?
She wanted to know the little things about it.
In that moment I realized, Abigail was just a kid who did see me as a celebrity.
She thought I was cool and looked up to me.
Like the other kids, she wasn't trying to pester me, she just wanted to talk to me.
Suddenly I realized that all the questions were a blessing.
Heck, these kids thought I was the coolest thing since slice bread.
They were asking me all about it and even lavishing me in compliments on how beautiful my blue eyes were.
And that's when I began seeing Abigail and all the other children as the Father sees them.
I saw them as loved individuals, who just wanted a little bit of attention.
Just as I am loved by the Father, they are too.
And I can help show them what that love looks like.
And once I started loving them and even let them invade my person bubble, we had a grand time.
I am so thankful for each of these kids!
Thank you Lord for loving me and loving them!
