i think i´ve always balked at childlike faith. i´ve thought things like, “one day they´ll know what i know.” or “one day they´ll understand what i understand, see the world like i see it.” but Christ said that the kingdom belongs to children. So for the past few days, i´ve been praying that i would know what the kids in the DR know. i´ve been praying that i would understand what the kids understand, and see the world the way they see it.
at the house church we invest our lives in each day, an eleven year old girl named Emerilie leads worship every meeting. she sings, others follow. she prays beautiful and simple prayers. she leads with a joyful heart. at a church we attended with another team, a twelve year old girl led worship. a few nights back, we gathered together to pray over God´s protection for a specific situation. 35 of us gathered on the street to pray, and a street kid, homeless and hungry, joined us and prayed. he prayed in spanish, with tears rolling down his eyes. so pure. so right. in guachupita, dozens of boys shepherd. they take cattle out to the fields surrounding the slum. none of them are over twelve, but they have been given huge responsibility. they demand authority. they have been given humility with their role. they do the job that raised up scriptures greatest leaders.
and its easy for us to feel pity for them. i haven´t since i´ve been here. they may not have shoes, or even pants, but they know how to be content. they see every ounce of food as a blessing. they see every night with a roof a blessing. they cherish the time they have with us. it´s so pure and innocent. its not naive, just the opposite, theyve seen more hurt, brokenness and sorrow than i will in a lifetime, but they remain innocent, and i pray they never lose that.
two days ago, a young girl named Gloria sat out waiting for us to arrive in the slum. she ran to us with open arms while we were still a half mile away…the type of love that the prodigal son´s father had. it was unconditional, unending, and unfailing. these kids might lack “stuff,” but they know faith, trust, love, and hope. how dare i try to pity that?
the truth that we may not see fruit this month hit me. we have six days left in the DR in our ministries. (we should find out our cambodia ministries and haiti ministries this weekend, i´ll update you as soon as i know them). but as an exercize of faith, can i trust the promises of God to complete the good work he began here in their hearts? can i believe God will bring men or women to this community, or even raise them up through it to bring truth and fruit to them?
i guess i´m lying if we say we haven´t seen fruit. the mothers were showing love and childlike abandon to their children like i haven´t seen up to this point yesterday. God is opening doors for us to meet and converse with Alfred, the murderer. his children have clung to us to recieve the love that we´re trying to give them. maybe God is going to do some huge things in our presence, maybe the huge things he does will be hidden from our view. but it doesn´t negate the truth that he is at work.
My friend and fellow racer made a comment last night, “You know how God shows us that he is faithful? a lot of times, it´s by us being faithful.” there is some profound truth there, and a lot of layers. God is faithful even when we aren´t, but i see his faithfulness clearly when we are obedient.
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it´s fantastic that the scripture that many of you sent me to, 1 john 4:4 is the same passage we took the community to that day. God is faithful and uses his Word to work. we haven´t done a lot in guachupita other than letting the Word speak…and honestly, those words are way better than any that could come out of my life.
continue to pray for huility and teachable hearts on our team. keep praying for meekness on my part. i love and miss you all, and thank you for your commitments to pray. keep lifting up Orioles´ hand. keep lifting up Erica. God will answer those prayers.
