This is the story of Destiny.
Genesis told me his name was Sado. Then Benji said his name is Marvin. Then finally, I believe, we’ve determined that his name, in reality, is Arvin. However, I just call him Matalino Ko. Roughly translated, it means “My Genius.” For the sake of this story, we’re going to just call him Destiny.
We arrived in Manila on Sunday after about 35 hours of traveling, and your prayers have been with us every step of the way. No flights took off until we were all securely on board, smooth flying, laid-back layovers, and not a single bag lost! Not to mention, we have reliable internet, comfy beds, and enough showers to go around. We are being spoiled here at KIM, Kids International Ministries.
At this moment, I am sitting on the patio built by a man from Salt Lake City and enjoying the sounds of a joyful, hard-working people. It was on this patio last night that I first held Destiny in my arms.
Just as I was about to grab my Bible and head to Bible study, this little boy wandered directly to me, boldly found his place in my lap, and began motioning to my computer. We spent the next two and half hours typing gibberish, taking photos, and playing Angry Birds.
Our youth amaze me. A boy, clearly affected by a profound disability who won’t utter more than the occasional “Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeees,” navigated my iPhone more naturally than many adults that I know.
When I heard the sounds of dinner beginning, I packed up the electronics, and Destiny and I got up to wander. Then, the rain began.
Standing under the largest table umbrella I’ve ever seen, Destiny motioned for me to pick him up. He pressed his little face up against my cheek, wrapped his arms around my neck, and held on like a little Filipino monkey. I’m sure you can imagine how touching this scene has just become, and I became engulfed in one thing alone. His heartbeat.
Just as boldly as he had jumped into my lap, his heart was beating against my chest. It was all I could hear, feel, or sense. Boom boom BOOM bOom. And I asked God what it meant.
In that small, bold heartbeat I understood God’s love for this people. I understood His plan for this little boy. I understood the Eternal Heartbeat. But then, I was reminded of my place within it.
Most of you know that I am switching my Masters program from Mild Disabilities to Severe Disabilities. And well, it’s easy enough to understand what your Destiny is. It’s a whole other thing to hold Destiny in your arms.
During LAUNCH, the teams of our squad were challenged to make a video answering the question, “Why are you here?” Here’s what we came up with. Little did I know how God would color these words. . .
