The hot sun warmed my body and the aroma of freshly cooked tortillas overtook the air. I found myself falling into sleep after a morning of painting when the car horn resounded at the gate. “Los niño’s!” I screamed. The children were finally home from school! One by one they piled out of the van and ran towards each of us with smiles on their faces. Jumping into our arms for a welcoming embrace paying careful attention that no one was forgotten or missed.
This was my favorite part of the day because not only did we get to play with the kids for the next two hours; but because the love of Jesus was overflowing in every single embrace and face of those children.
My team and I were extremely blessed to be working at Casa de mi Padre orphanage this month. We were constantly surrounded by love all week long: from the ladies that take care of the house and let us use their washer and dryer; to the manager, Roberto, who picked us up everyday; to Francisco, are new Guatemalan amigo; and of course with the children.
Me and Roberto
Before we ever got to the orphanage we woke up singing “My Father’s House” by Audio Adrenaline which is awesome because that is exactly what Casa de mi Padre translates to; and immediately what we were reminded of when we saw the house. It’s a big, big house with lots and lots of rooms – they have beautiful rooms full of bunk beds for the kids. A big, big table with lots and lots of food – they have a long table that sits in their kitchen for everyone to eat together. A big, big yard where we can play football – there is always a soccer (football) game happening in the yard as long as it’s not raining. It’s my father’s house.
I am sad to be leaving the beautiful children and the wonderful relationships that I made this month but I leave with joy knowing that the children have a place to call home. James Frost describes home in “Spiritual Slavery to Sonship” as:
Home is the place we can run to when things go wrong, the place where we can receive affirmation and encouragement, not so much for what we have done but for whose son or daughter we are. Home is the place where we belong and cease striving and enter into rest.
I started reading this book right before we started work at the orphanage and the beginning of it is all about the orphan heart, ironically. All of us are born with orphan hearts in which we think we must perform in order for God’s approval and affirmation. Orphan heart thinking is when we believe we must win God’s love over with works. The reality is that we can all walk in sonship as sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters of Christ not because of who we are but because of who He is.
Imagine all the children arriving home from school and running to me only because they were excited to see me. That is what God wants us to do. He loves us because we are His children.
“God is saying to us: ‘ Come home.’ And where is home? Anywhere He is.
Isn’t that what all of us are looking for? A place where we can be fully accepted and loved just as we are? God ‘s love is never changing; He loves you just as much now as He does your finished product. There is no need to impress Him. He only asks that you love.
The children of Casa de mi Padre
Love like the children love. “Have faith as innocent as a child does.” Children love you because they want to love you. Not because of what games you play with them, or how many times you made them laugh, but because they know the love of God and because of that they give love away.
Every fiber of our being was created to receive love and give it away.
You recognize a person who knows God by the life of love, compassion, and tenderness he or she shows behind closed doors with family and peers when no one else is looking. A person who loves God is one who seeks for the love of God to be made mature and complete in his or her daily relationships.
The Father’s mission is for you to experience His expressed love and to give it away to the next person you meet.
After I was with the kids of Casa de mi Padre I wanted everyone I know to meet them and get hugged by them (Guatemalans give the best hugs). I wanted everyone to know the love of Jesus. This love is inside of me and you and we are extremely lucky because we can give that love away.
Heaven is a big, big house with lots and lots of room and you get there by sharing God’s love. That’s so awesome! Don’t you want to love somebody?
My Father’s House – By the children of Casa de mi Padre Orphanage from Christina Kehres on Vimeo.
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