This month we’ve been going to an orphanage down the street everyday. Some days we teach english and do a bible story, other days we just play with the kids. Today it was a “play with the kids” day but it was also downpouring. So what did we do? We learned handshakes and hand games.
You know, the things you did in the car line in 3rd grade waiting for your mom to pick you up but she was always late and so you got really good at them.
Today we introduced one of my favorites.
Boom-Snap-Clap
My teammates and I have played this so often on the race that we’ve made it more difficult and added different steps and levels of difficulty. The kids were very impressed. I mean, we are very impressive after all.
And humble, obviously.
One of the 11 year olds, Wendy-the sassy one, wanted to learn so of course I taught her.
First she thought she could do it without learning.
Then she thought she could do it with only seeing it once.
Then when I broke it down for her she thought she had it down and tried on her own.
Fail.
Then she got frustrated when I told her you just have to practice more.
After doing this over and over very slowly she finally got it without messing up.
So of course she wanted to go faster and faster and try the difficult levels with the group of gringos.
So I let her try, even though I knew where this was going.
She couldn’t do it and then started feeling bad and saying she couldn’t do it at all.
She gave up on it then.
Let me just say, it’s a good thing I can’t speak spanish because this is what I would have said.
“Of course you can’t do it, you haven’t practiced! I tried telling you but you just wanted to jump in and do it before you were prepared. I don’t understand why you’re in such a rush! We’re just playing!!! We have all day to practice and get better at it. Why do you feel like you have to join in with the gringos right now!”
But I can’t speak spanish. So instead I said.
“Oltra Vase” “Si sepuede”
And we practiced.
And practiced.
And…practiced. So much.
While practicing I started thinking about what just happened, about all the things I wanted to tell Wendy.
Then God hit me like a brick.
“Jacie, you’re so much like Wendy. You see something and you want it, but you don’t take the proper steps to fulfilling that desire. You rush. You are impatient. You cut corners. And when you try to put it into action you fail because you did not listen to me and my direction. You need to be patient. You need to take the time to practice and think things through. You need time to learn from the one trying to teach you. I’ve given you the gift of persistence. I’ve made you that way. But instead of being persistent about the end goal, be persistent about learning from me. I hold the outcome in my hands. I need you to use your persistence to learn and be ready.”
This month God has been teaching me patience in a number of ways, but this was the icing on the cake.
I need to have patience with myself.
I need to use my powers of persistence for good and not evil. (My dad calls me a dog with a bone)
I need to seek God’s directions and his timing and not try to rush things.
Will I fail?
Of course I will!
But God’s facing me, smiling, saying “Oltra vase” “Si, Sepuede”
And he’s there to cheer for me when I finally get it.
——————————————————————————————————————–
We found out last week that this orphanage has lost it’s funding and will be closing down within the month. These kids have been in government homes before and were moved around a lot. The last place these kids were at they were sexually abused and finally found a safe house where they are now, but it’s closing.
Please be praying that if God wants to keep them here he’ll provide the funding at the right time.
If God has something different in store please pray for these sweet kids and their hearts and trust that God will keep them safe and take care of them wherever they go.
——————————————————————————————————————–
Here’s my video recap of what our month in Honduras looked like! Next stop, Guatemala!
