“Dra-Gon, Dra-GON!” A voice cries out from far off down toward the other end of the brick wall we are perpetually slabbing with cement. I continue on cementing letting the cry go unnoticed; slapping a fresh chunk of the gray gravy on my pallet to smooth out on the coarse brick wall that is the property line for the Shelter of Love and the monkey farm next door (Yup, a monkey farm). The voice again shouts out, “Dra-Gon, Dra-GON!” Suddenly, I am jabbed in the side; in a somewhat loving manner and a sweet little Cambodian girl appears and says “Dra-Gon, I call you dragon. You call me lemon!” Excited by the nicknames spontaneously given and accepted the giggles ensue from all of the other kids around helping with the wall. From then on joyous shouts of “dra-GON & le-MON” would erupt through the course of our work days each morning.
So simple and so childish, yet so meaningful, speaking value and love. Each morning the team & I set out for some good old fashion manual labor. For the first week and a half, we worked on finishing a property wall making it look more pleasurable to the eye with a nice smooth cement finish. Every morning, we pushed the cement mixer and all our numerous supplies through the swampy field, nearly 300 yards to the wall. And as lunch came near, we pushed it all back to the workshop. A back breaking workout even with most of the kids helping! As we finished that project we have moved on to tearing up an area behind one of the houses, so that we could build a cement patio where clothes could dry and kids could hangout. In the afternoons, we taught different music classes (I taught guitar). Every other day we would go out into the near villages, gather children and have a little vacation bible school program! This would last until dinner and following dinner we would teach English classes and have Bible study.
Throughout it all we are surrounded by all these kids, young and old; constantly being dragged over by the hand somewhere to play. We get bummed rushed in the morning by the little ones as we crawl out of our rooms still in sleep mode, as they are on their way to school. As I work out, trying to get some rare alone time I have a random few kids pop out from the bushes in a sneak attack and knock out some push-ups with me, which then eventually leads to them sitting on me! Even the teenagers get in on it, running up from behind to jab you in the sides, or jump on your back. It’s a constant barrage of love everyday all day! At times it tries my patience and sometimes I just don’t want anyone crawling all over me. But, then I remember what Jesus would do, and what Jesus calls us higher too. Be more like a child!
The Shelter of Love is most certainly worthy of its name as God is revealing to me here how to love in the ways I once knew as a child. A relationship with God shouldn’t always be formal, cudgel, and adult like. In fact, it should rarely by that and resemble more of a child wanting earnestly to play with his or her Daddy. God wants you to call out to Him in love spontaneously, to drag Him by the hand wherever you go. He wants you to sneak attack him, jump on His back and cover His eyes with your hands. He desperately wants you to barrage Him with all forms of your love! How could you saw no to loving God in that way?
So, may the weird title of Dragons & Lemons forever be ingrained in your mind. Every time you think of it, may you be reminded to love God silly-ly, with a never ending insurmountable wellspring of passionate love like a child. This is my heart’s lesson and I hope it will manifest itself inside in you now!
Random Happenings:
We have been living the life here, playing basketball, ping pong, badminton, and card games (particularly phase 10) with the kids all the time!
Buna (one of the house parents) needed help with a single piston small diesel engine that had seized up. Last week we torn it all apart, found that the connecting rod bearing had spun. This week we got a new bearing, slapped it all back together and now it is running like a top. We now use it to help us transport huge rocks from the back 40 to the cement patio we are currently building. God knew I needed a little time with some engines!
Friday, we went out with the kids in the afternoon to a small lake damn in the middle of nowhere to swim and goof off! It was a great way to start the weekend!
Book Recommendation: Self Confidence by David Rutherford (Navy SEAL)
It has really spoken to me this month and has provided some awesome wisdom on how to push past self-made limitations mentally, physically, & spiritually. It is inspiring and motivating for the race, given all our team dynamics and desire to live a life worthy of our callings. Definitely an awesome read if you need a motivator to live your life to the fullest!
