Barreling down the bumpy road, red dust filled the air. We knew there was some kind of ‘housewarming’ that was supposed to take place for the little school of desks and a fence that we built all week. What we didn’t expect was 80 children cheering and smiling, waving and laughing, waiting for us! We stumbled out of the TukTuk into a swell of hugs and high-fives, not neglecting the shy children and parents lingering on the outskirts. Seeing a mass unlike anything we planned for, we started quickly with ‘Father Abraham’ to give us some time to wrap our heads around what had clearly become a village event. Before we were through, children started leaving because there was so much dust being wafted into the air as 160feet stomped out ‘left foot…right foot’. We quickly moved things along to other songs that would be engaging to children who understand no English. We topped off the Whirlwind of a night by acting out the story of Jonah and the Whale. Our team has become something of an expert in the impromptu drama from our time in the Philippines :0) As I narrated, I remembered our contact sharing that this little schoolhouse was already raising concerns that somehow by learning English or Jesus, the children would become disobedient to their parents. As I closed in telling the children about Jesus and His love and that God wants to talk to them and that when He does, they should obey Him….. one way they can learn to obey God, is by learning to obey their parents (shameless plug to the parents lingering on the outskirts to see just what this whole thing is about).
After the official event closed, we got to mingle and learn some of their cultural dances. There was one little girls who captured my attention from the start. She lingered on the outskirts and would not smile no matter how many times I tried to draw her in. At the end, Jesus wanted to speak to her. So I grabbed a translator and told her about how Jesus wanted to heal her heart, turn her sadness into joy, and fill her empty places with His love. She barely nodded and I walked away. A few seconds later, she tugged on my arm for me to pick her up and I held her the rest of the night! I love this precious child of God and am so blessed to share with her about the love He has for her. He sees her. He knows her. He longs to fill her every moment with His love.
