Honestly, an eight or nine hour Vacation Bible School?? What were people thinking??
Isn’t three hours long enough??
Who wants to have breakfast, lunch, AND dinner at the ministry site?
Was month 11 REALLY supposed to be the most tiring of the entire World Race??
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We were (and still are) in Romania, and it was day seven of the kid’s summer program we
were running.
It was a Friday, and I WAS DONE!
I had already had it up to here with everything after the first day of ministry, but after
my birthday rest day, things had looked up.
But now, I was again at the end of my rope.
I WAS EXHAUSTED, DRAINED, and DEFEATED.
I was SICK of kids, SICK of kids not listening, SICK of kids trying to bully me, SICK of kids not understanding English, SICK of the heat, SICK of being in charge, and SICK of not having the chance to take a nap like everyone else had.
This was NOT fun!!
Don’t get me wrong, there were moments of joy in the day, including when the kids listened intently to the gospel story and happily sang the “Dip” song.
But, I WAS DONE!
The end of camp barbeque was wrapping up, people were leaving, and I was going to take a nap.
I had only been laying down for a few seconds when little Mia popped her head in the door. Mia was a nine year old sweetheart that had only come to the camp for two days. She was VERY well behaved and sat by me any chance she could get. She read books to me and even took up my plate when I was done at meal time. She was one girl who really had started to win my heart.
Well, after coming in, Mia slowly walked over to my bed.
I could tell her lip was quivering.
“Mia, are you okay?”
Seconds later, she was bending over and squeezing me with all her might.
“Jenny, I love you.”
And soon after that, the tears started to come.
They started to pour from her eyes and run down my arms.
For several minutes, she just held me, bawling.
And, since she was bawling, what do you think I did?
I started to cry too.
And as I cried, it was like the weight of the day just fell from my shoulders.
I was loved.
It wasn’t about what I had done right or what I had done wrong.
This little girl loved me.
And if this little girl loved me, how much more did GOD love me?
After what seemed like an eternity, Mia started to walk away.
She went to a girl by the sink and asked her how to say something in English.
Running back to me, she looked intently into my eyes.
“Jenny, I love you, and I will love you ever.” (I think she meant forever.)
She once again grabbed me so tightly and wouldn’t let go.
All the while, the tears continued to flow.
When she finished hugging me, she said goodbye through her tears and started to walk away.
BUT, she wasn’t finished.
She ran back, and the whole scenario occurred probably five more times.
“Jenny, I love you, and I will love you ever.”
I decided to give this little girl a picture of me from my album so she could remember me.
She then decided to draw me a picture. She wrote her name next to the picture of her and had me write my name next to the picture of me.
Through it all, she continued to cry.
When she finally left, I was just in awe.
In TWO DAYS, God had used me to get ahold of that little girl’s heart. He has used me
despite my lack of energy and my negative attitude.
If nothing else good came from the VBS, I now know that at least Mia was touched.
If no one else had felt the love of Jesus at that camp, at least Mia had.
IT WAS WORTH IT!
Despite the heat and the rowdy kids and the stress, IT WAS WORTH IT!
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You may be tired. You may be drained. You may wonder how on earth God can use you when you can’t or don’t even want to go on.
BUT HE CAN!!
Hold fast!
Look up!
He is working in His strength even when you don’t think you have the strength to make it.
Keep shining for Jesus my friends! 🙂
