I’m the 3rd of 6 kids. Whether at my house, a friend’s place, babysitting, or helping in the church nursery, little babies and kids were a part of my childhood.
Kids make me genuinely laugh. I love how kids are funny without trying. I love their complete abandonment. I love that games rarely get old. I love how the goofier you are, the more they laugh. I love how their style and personalities are so present at such a young age.
We get to work with a lot of kids on The Race. Through them, I have seen God’s father heart. I am reminded by Him that each person I’ve seen here has His heart like a father so taken by his child. Every person, noticed by me or not, has caught God’s gaze of love and affection.
I see His joy for His creation. I don’t think God has been bored with what He’s made. He has seen the sun rise and set since the beginning of time. He created with such intricate detail the earth, galaxies, stars, animals, people, and placed everything in its strategic place.
He created humanity in His image. Our life is for Him and also with Him. With the joy of a father, He listens to me say time and time again, “Dad, watch this!” And I feel Him being proud, smile, and encourage me like my earthly dad has done for me.
This month we are working with a couple named Tony and Nedia and they take in street kids. They are parents to the forgotten kids of the Honduran streets. Right now there are 9 boys living here with them. Some live at the compound, some come for a day, but all are accepted because they need a place where they can be a kid and feel loved.
With Tony and Nedia, they are able to catch a glimpse of God’s love for them. Tony talks about the boys with the biggest grin when they do well and with a loving but heavy heart when they choose their old life of hopelessness. He sees each boy with God’s eyes. He pours his heart, words of life, time, and love on them right where they are at. Sometimes it is returned, sometimes rejected.
Each kid is searching for a place to belong.
Matthew 18:3
And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Our team crafted a team prayer that we read together every morning. One line we put in the prayer is that as a team we want child-like faith, hope, and love. I’m rediscovering what does it mean to me to live in child-like faith, hope, love.
We are in our 3rd month and I have learned so much from the kids I have encountered.
I’ve seen that kids…..
1. Never lose wonderment. They are amazed and say ‘again and again’ when I say, “I’ve seen that,” or “unoriginal,” or “not impressed.”
photo: by Robin Quinn Brooks
2. Watch you. Their eyes are zeroed in. Their attention is solely on you. They may not copy everything you do, but they watch everything.
Photo: Robin Quinn Brooks
3. Mimic. As the kids watch, they will do what you do. They will try to mimic every gesture, action, and word.
Photo: By Robin Quinn Brooks
Photo: By Robin Quinn Brooks
4. Hold on to you. They don’t say, “Are you sure you can you hold me?” “Will you drop me?” No, they leap into your arms. They sit in your lap until your leg falls asleep. They will put their dirty hands and snot-filled faces all over yours.They will hold onto you until you let go.
With God, I want to…
1. Never lose wonderment. I don’t want to lose the beauty and awe of His creation, His people, and daily walking through life with Him.
2. Watch Him. I want my eyes so focused on Jesus that everything else fades away.
3. Mimic Him. With my eyes set on my Father, I want to mimic every thought, action, and word.
4. Hold on to Him. I want to hold on to God with complete trust and rest as much in the good times as in the tough times.
There are things I need to mature in and things I need to re-learn to be like a child.
