You know the nothing compares to the joy of a child. Remember when you were little and your parents bought you ice cream? They probably have a picture of you somewhere with a twinkle in your eyes, ice cream smeared all over your face and hands and a bright smile. That kind of joy I experienced from children this month playing in a cow field.
This month, there really aren’t words to describe it, except for relationships. We made relationships with every person we encountered. From the ladies at the supermarket, those selling fruit on the sidewalk, the people that welcomed us into the their home.It was all about relationships for us. These relationships aren’t just in Santiago, I will carry them with me wherever I go. I will remember the laughs,meals, and words of each.
To give you a little insight on what we were blessed enough to do this month, every Wednesday we were able to do a sports ministry with the kids of the village. To be honest, I don’t remember how it began, but the first Wednesday we went into the village with some soccer balls and began to gather some kids and play. More and more showed up and we were playing soccer in the street! Nothing compares to the joy that shone on kids face as he kicked the ball directly to the kid he wanted it to go to, or the laugh that followed a fumble. Even some were showing off serious skills of dribbling to us. It was amazing how intensely focused they were and how bright their eyes were as they wanted to play.
As more kids began to flood the streets the kids herded us down the street, around a house and past some goats. Their faces smiling like they had a secret they wanted to share with us. As we rounded the corner of the house it opened into a field, their playground. Only it was filled with trash, cow pies, and cows milling around. I was in shock and awe. The kids were chasing each other, rounding up teams, grabbing cardboard to make bases for baseball. I couldn’t believe this was what they played in. But their joy surpasses my unease. This is what they love and know.
I was lucky enough to play catch with the most joyous little boy. He tossed the ball and I caught it and vise versa. My the light that shone from his eyes was contagious! He giggled and jumped and the ball soared over his head. He made me run for the ball; we pretended we were baseball pitchers and threw it as hard as we could to each other. It was so fun!
The joy and happiness that these children have through everything opened my eyes. I feel as though I am a child, I don’t always act my grand ol’ age of 21. But God calls us to have childlike faith. Seeing th September children solidified in me that we can be kids through everything. Have joy and happiness through it all. Even in a field of cows.
To end the evening we sang song together. My how children love to sing! Which later came in handy when we went to a school and taught a lesson.
At the school we taught about the United States and how it’s different than the Dominican but we are all made and loved by God. We even taught the kids a song Joshua 1:9.
That evening we also put on a service in the village at a Catholic church and two of our guys gave testimonies. Though many of us didn’t speak Spanish and they didn’t speak English it was amazing to see how we could all communicate through smiles and song.
This month has been a whirlwind to say the least. As we were picked up for debrief we drove through the village and my heart ached to jump out and give one last hug to everyone I had met. I can honestly say that I am so happy for every circumstance and every event that happened this month. Though we may not understand each other, we can still smile and laugh and sing together and we can learn from each other.
