Her eyes were bright; deep brown, rounder than any other pair of eyes I’ve ever seen.
??Her smile was contagious- it could easily stop traffic, although her hair was very dirty, and her clothes were worn.??
She seemed tall for three; she bounded into the room and began to dance with such excitement and a grace that was beyond her years.
“She is Hindu, but she wants to dance to a Christian song!” Gresom exclaimed, eyes alight with mirth, after exchanging a few words with her. We watched her dance for several songs, and I just couldn’t take my eyes off her. Instantly, I loved her spirit, and I felt like I could see directly into her special little soul. She knew the words of the Christian song by heart, and it became evident that even though she didn’t belong to the female pastor or her immediate family, they were definitely “gospeling” this little neighbor girl with an urgency and an intentionality that was beautiful to see.
??After a while of coaxing her out of her initial shyness, she began to play with me.
We scooted a small rubber ball back and forth to each other as we sat on the floor of the tiny church, which was really just one small room in the pastor’s home.
?Pretty soon, she moved directly into my lap and leaned back into my arms, completely relaxed. I put my chin on her head and we rocked back and forth, comfortably. She spoke rapid Nepali with our host, Gresom, and the two of them teased each other with such a warm familiarity, so reminiscent of a grown brother teasing his infant sister. Every now and then, she would slap him playfully and everyone in the room would laugh- and when he translated the string of sentences that came out of her mouth, nobody could believe the fantastic childlike tales she would tell. All hearts melted when she clambered from my lap onto his and smothered his face with a string of sweet kisses. ??
This little girl was beautiful, and her joy was contagious, and I instantly fell head over heels in love with her.
??It never ceases to amaze me just how easy it can be to communicate with other people, even when you don’t speak the same language. I think sometimes God gives us a supernatural ability to reach other people, across language barriers, because it frees up more space for Him to do all the work.
When He takes away our words, we don’t have any other choice but to be quiet before Him and wait for Him to prompt our every move, and that’s when He gives us a supernatural ability to share His heart and His love for all people in a way we would never be able to do on our own.??
She and I couldn’t speak more than two words to each other. All I could tell her was “You’re beautiful!” in Nepali, and all she could say to me was, “Hello, how are you?” in English. But throughout the course of that service, we played together, sang together, danced together, she curled up on my lap and I cradled her; she kissed my cheeks many times, and when it came time to pray, I wrapped my arms around her and we both clasped our hands together and shut our eyes tight, and even though she was probably just caught up in the motions, wanting to try to imitate my every move, and I doubt that her little mind was bent in submission and prayer, I prayed so fervently over her for those few minutes.
I prayed God’s protection over her and her family; I prayed that her heart would open up and the Holy Spirit would invade every single corner of her tiny little being. I prayed that she would gladly welcome Jesus into her heart and that He would take her by the hands, both hands firmly, and lead her through every trial and joy life will throw at her for the rest of her days.
I prayed His blessing and providence over her life and her future. I prayed that she would be used to further His kingdom, and that she would follow Him and that she would tell her family and everyone she comes into contact with about Him. I praised God for her beautiful face which bears His image.
I prayed that she would never be physically harmed, abused, exploited, sold or manipulated, by a family member, or by a stranger. We learned during our time in Nepal that 54 Nepalese children are trafficked every single day for profit, and I prayed so intently that she would never know this kind of bondage, this kind of slavery, she nor anyone in her entire family.
?
There is a mountain of regret on my heart that I did not get her name, and that she ran out before the service ended and before I had a chance to look her in the face and tell her (with translation) just how deeply God loves her.
??Such is life on the World Race, I’m learning.
Moments and opportunities are fleeting, and you literally have to make the most of every single experience and every single conversation or introduction that you get, because the moments can end in an instant.
??It’s a gorgeous blend of chaos, and confusion, insane bursts of courage and utter dependency on the Holy Spirit, and the obedience to follow His prompts one-hundred-percent of the time, even when it seems uncomfortable or terrifying. ??
I’m praying every day for this stunning, sweet little girl, and I’m praying that God brought us together for those few hours as a divine appointment. I know there is power in the prayers of a believing heart over an unbelieving soul, and I know that through Christ, all is possible, even when we cannot see with our own eyes just how perfectly He holds the universe in His hands.
“We can shake, but can’t control, these possibilities to grow weeds amongst the push and pull, waiting on the wind to take us. We can write with ink and pen, but we will sow in seeds instead starting with words we’ve said, and we will all be changed.” -Seryn
