It’s really weird to think that I only have a week left on this crazy 11 month adventure. I’ve wanted to blog more, but have been so tired from doing so much this month. I have been so blessed to be able to spend time with the children here. Like I mentioned in my last blog, a good portion of them are HIV positive, but you would never know from the smiles on their faces. The weird thing is a lot of them know what being HIV positive means. They know that at any moment they could get a cold or the flu and end up dying from it because their immune system can’t fight it off. Somehow, they find hope and that hope truly is in Christ.
I am still blown away with how much they love. I really can’t describe it in words that well. I have seen a lot of children around the world at all different stages of maturity and age range. I have seen ones that can speak English very well and the ones that cannot. I have seen the ones that have nothing and the ones that have a little more. I have not met children like this though. I have not met children who love knowing what they know about themselves. Even worse, knowing that their parents have died from something that they have. I truly have not seen greater love than the love these children show towards us…even knowing that we are only there for a short while.
I think their love shows me what exactly Jesus was saying when He talked about humbling ourselves like children. In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus says “Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” I have used this verse before, but the meaning keeps changing slightly for me. Seeing these children and how much they love unconditionally a lot of the time has made me think of how my relationship should be with my Heavenly Father. These children just want to sit on our laps and spend time with us and I should be doing the same thing with God, just wanting to sit in His presence and show my affection for Him.
I want to sit in His presence and be in awe of Him just like these children are of us a lot of the time. I think another important lesson I have learned from these kids is that you don’t have to verbally communicate with someone to show how much you love them. I can speak only a few simple phrases to the kids that they understand in English, among which are “You look handsome” and “How was school today?” But the love is deeper than any words can describe. It reaches an awesome level of wanting to spend time with them even if we don’t say that much. I really feel our Heavenly Father desires the same things. Just to spend time in His presence as His children and not even say anything. Just to listen and show our affection for HIm.
I am really looking forward to coming home in about a week, but am also dreading leaving this place in a few days. It has truly been amazing and can’t say enough how much I have enjoyed my time here. I will be in Delhi in a few days for our final debrief with our entire squad before we fly home. I really can’t wait to share what our main project was this month…in my next blog 🙂 God is doing amazing things in the small town of Kolhapur and really pushing back a lot of spiritual darkness here. Can’t wait to share more!
