I don’t even know her name.
It all begin with a venture to find some ice cream. Walking with people on our right and left intently staring at the white faces that they see in front of them. As we are on the hunt to find a supposed ice cream parlor, three little bodies came running up to us. Frail and thin beyond words, bellies protruding from their tiny figures with bare feet trampling the street covered in trash, frantically following us begging for food. These little girls were no older then 10 and realistically only 8 or 9.
All I wanted to do is tell them about Jesus’ love for them, hold them, and buy them a banana, but I couldn’t. They walked with us for 10 minutes continually signalling to their bellies, then to food on the road, and then to their mouth.
Over and over and over again.
There little eyes pierced up at mine in a frantic desperation of hunger. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so helpless and stuck. We were given strict orders from our hosts to not feed or give to beggars because of the corruption similar to the movie Slumdog Millionaire.
One of the little girls seemed less interested in begging and just wanted to be held, to feel the touch of a pure, innocent hug. To feel safe. As it began to rain, she grabbed my hand and stood very close to me as we walked. She stopped signalling as the other two still begged for us to buy them food. I was stuck. This little precious daughter of G-d is starving, gripping my hand with this frenzied look of ‘Please don’t leave me alone.’ I put my arm around her feeling her tiny shoulders and boney arms trying to hold back the tears in my eyes, I was shattered. As the other two continued to beg all I could say was, “I can’t, I’m sorry, I can’t.” Several times looking to my teammates, pleading, “Are you sure I can’t just buy them a banana or any sort of fruit?”
“No we can’t. Most likely it won’t even go to them, there ‘owner’ will probably take it away.”
These weren’t just three little girls that were begging for food, it was personal. I don’t think I’ve ever felt such a compassion and realized just for those 10/15 minutes, Jesus gave me His eyes, He gave me His heart broken for those children.
All I could do was pray and ask Jesus to protect them and rescue them from this evil. I know prayer works. If the only reason I was to come in contact with these 3 little girls was to simply pray for their safety and that G-d would provide for them, then I pray His hand is enabled to move radically in their lives.
Jesus loves those little girls and if I could only truly describe the absolute heartache I felt, I know Jesus loves them all the more. If only for a few minutes I was given the opportunity to wrap my arm around that precious little girl then it was worth it, because I pray she felt the love of Jesus maybe for the first time.
Ask Abba Father to give you His heart, His eyes, His love, & compassion for those around you. Regardless where you are in the world, there are people hurting needing the Father’s love.
[Matty 19:14]
