Erik wet my pants.
But seriously…..he did. I know what you’re thinking, your 4-year old fed you the same line just the other day, and he’s an only child. Fine, you don’t believe me? I have a few pictures of the guy who did it, “wanted posters”, if you will.
Oh don’t be fooled by his big puppy eyes or childish manner, this kid is a real monster. And did I mention that he never gave Chrislyn her nose back? Let me explain how I came to cross paths with this serial pants wetter…
Erik is one of the many children at Camp Hope, a school here in Quito that serves children with disabilities. For the past two weeks, this has been our main ministry here in Ecuador. Our team is split up in different classrooms where we each have a consistent group of kids to work with each day. These kids live life each day with deafness, autism, cerebral palsy, and many other significant physical and mental disabilities. Most of our kids are greatly limited due to their conditions, unable to independently complete even the most basic of life’s tasks – eating, walking, communicating, and even using the restroom. That said, you now have a good idea of what our days look like serving at Camp Hope. Feeding, brushing teeth, changing diapers, pushing wheelchairs, massaging idle muscles, doing physical therapy, teaching language skills, and even assisting with horse therapy – these are all a part of a normal week at Camp Hope.
A good portion of the kids at Camp Hope live in Casa Hogar, a partnering orphanage. In addition to the bodily conditions that ail these kids, many of them have no family to call their own. Some have been abandoned by their families, apparently too much for them to handle. Others, have been taken from their families by the police, their parents deemed incapable caretakers. To give you an idea of what life is and has been for some of the Camp Hope children, let me introduce you to just one of the boys that I work with each day.
J is 16 years old. He first came to Camp Hope just 6 months ago. Taken from his family by the police, J lives in the previously mentioned orphanage. J’s mother is a prostitute. Before he came to Camp Hope, J lit his family’s home on fire and also nearly killed himself by ingesting a poisonous substance while unattended. In light of these things, it is not so surprising (though still incredibly sad) that J’s mother resolved to take him along to her “business meetings.” As a result of what he saw growing up, Camp Hope female staff and volunteers have to constantly be on guard against the inappropriate touching that is all too normal to J. I’m not sure what’s more tragic, the apparent negligence that he experienced as a child, or the ugliness that he was exposed to at such a young age. When he arrived at Camp Hope, J was grossly underweight. Even now, he instinctively grabs food scraps dropped by other children (even off of the floor), as if he fears they might be his last meal for days to come.
Heartbreaking, right? His is one of many stories. It’s very easy to let the tragedy of their stories and their struggles break us to the core and cause us to question how such pain and need can exist in the world. There are days when we wonder if we’re making any difference at all in the lives of these kids. Every single day, the needs far outlast the energy and the hours that we have to give. It is this realization that drives me to pray to God for a daily gift of energy, patience, and love, beyond what I can muster on my own.
And as anyone who works with kids can tell you, just because a child’s story is sad and touching beyond anything you’ve ever seen or experienced in your life, it doesn’t mean that they will be pleasant or easy to work with. In the course of a day, we may get drooled on, sneezed on, pinched, kicked, bitten, and yes, even have our pants wet for us. (I can do that all by myself, thank you very much, Erik!) I decided not to include these pictures, but you can use your imagination.
So as you can see, the past few weeks have been greatly challenging in a number of ways. They have hurt emotionally, taxed physically, and tested spiritually. God never promised that following His will and obeying His commandment to love would be easy. In fact, I seem to remember Him promising that it wouldn’t be easy. References to taking the “narrow path”(Matthew 7:13-14) or “taking up a cross” (Matthew 16:24-26) don’t exactly sound like an invitation to a life of comfort or leisure. Thank God that this life is not all that we have to look forward to!
For me and for the children that I see each day here in Quito, Ecuador, there is more. This knowledge allows me to work and live as if there is something more, something greater and more deserving of my worship than comfort, money, or success as the world describes it. This knowledge also gives me great joy for what lies ahead for these children who seemingly have so little to celebrate in the here and now. May you be reminded that this life is short and fleeting. Love furiously, as if you don’t know when life will end (because you don’t). And take great joy in the hope that I pray is also yours, that your future is with our good and loving Father in a home where pain and strife are no more.
Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen!
P.S. Erik was sitting on my lap after I had just fed him lunch. After a few minutes, it was apparent that we were both a bit wet. His smile, which never left the whole time, seems to imply that he was innocent and he thought it was me. I, of course, maintain my innocence. We’re at a bit of a stand still. It’s my word against his smile. You be the judge.
