When Jesus walked the earth, he often felt “Compassion” for people, which led Him to do great things for them. This compassion has taken over my heart the last few days!
For the last week, Emma, Daniel and I had the honor to work in Los Gozosos, a special-needs orphanage and school. Los Gozosos (Joyful). This facility is an orphanage to approximately 20 children; during the day, they have special needs students who come for schooling. My heart melts for these kids! Some have mild disabilities, like difficulty talking; many cannot walk without assistance; a few of them have poor quality of life and struggle to eat. Despite their current situations, they are precious in God’s eyes, and they have found a special place in my heart. I am drawn to them; I desire to hold them and make them smile. I long to make them feel loved.
This is Heidy! One little ball of joy!! And oh so precious!
Sometimes, all it takes is a smile and direct eye-contact. For others, it takes holding their hand or scratching their neck. For one beautiful girl, it takes wrapping your arms around her belly from behind and holding her tight. If you sit down, she will gladly sit on your lap and clap your hands as you continue to hold her. For the babies, it takes a massage with lotion or the simple act of holding them near and giving them attention.
This is Candy! 100 lbs of pure joy!
Each child has their own challenges and needs, but they all have one thing in common: they know how to enjoy life.
This is Nadie. She comes to the orphanage for school. She is very smart but has trouble speaking! Her love for people is addicting!
After lunch a few days ago, we played a game of soccer with the kids. I held Candy on my lap, the girl that loves to be hugged from behind. As we sat in the grass and watched the game, I noticed all the children in wheelchairs—although they were sitting on the sidelines, they were all smiling and enjoying the game. If I were them, I’d be wishing that I could walk and participate in the game. But these kids were content despite their disabilities. Each one was given the opportunity to throw the ball into the field to start the game—one child couldn’t hold the ball without assistance; he needed assistance to let go of the ball—the staff member gently knocked the ball out of his hands. The depth that the staff goes in order to make these kids feel like decent human beings is incredible. This simple act made this boy feel involved, and he had the largest, most genuine smile on his face because he participated! What a blessing they are, and what an opportunity it’s been to learn from them!! God is good!
This beauty, although bound to a wheelchair, gives nothing but smiles!
