This is a entry from my journal when my team was working at a refugee camp. It is short, but hopefully it gives you a small glimpse of my experiences and challenges from that month.
We have been working at the refugee camp for almost a month now. It has defiantly been the hardest Ministry/ month of the race but also one of the most rewarding. Each day I have to fully rely on God’s strength. Fill myself up with Jesus so it is him the kids and families see, not me. Since the first day we arrived at the camp we were swarmed by children. A sea of people follow us and fight just to get a simple touch or smile from us. I can now better picture stories from the Bible of Jesus walking among crowds and people fighting for simply a touch from Him.
The families at the camp only arrived about a few days before we showed up. They are displaced, away from their home, thrown together with strangers, and have close to no belongings. Many of them left their loved ones back at the very place they had to escape. Their sons, brothers, fathers are still fighting a war now hundreds of miles away from them. I have to constantly remind myself of this when I get aggravated by the violence I see in the camp or when the chaos of it all is overwhelming. I have to remember their stories when a kid decides that I am the enemy for the day or when I don’t feel like dangling kids from every limb on my body for hours. I have to remember where they came from, what they had to leave behind, and the chaos they live in every single day. I get to leave the fighting and chaos. But for these families…this is their new reality. They don’t get to leave. Working at the camp is exhausting and drains every part of me. But I have to remember to give all I have and at the end of the day let Jesus love these people through me. The love Jesus is able to show them through me is maybe the only love they will get to experience. I might be the only person that smiles or holds their hands that day. Sitting on my lap or laying in my arms might be a kids only escape from chaos. A small chance at peace, rest, and genuine love. If I can provide that for a even a second…it is all worth it.
