It’s the first lick
and the last bite of choco-strawberry and vanilla swirl ice cream in a waffle
cone from Mini-Stop.
It’s the man named
Lyle and his friend who stood and gave up his seat on the train so my friend
and I could sit.
It’s baby Nathaniel’s*
face lighting up and reaching his tiny hands out to me when he sees me.
It’s seven year old
Maria* who runs up to me and throws her arms around my waist in a huge hug
whenever she sees me.
It’s fifteen year
old Arjay* who asks me for work because there is no money to buy food for his
brother’s baby.
It’s the group of
hungry kids who share and make sure everyone has something to eat, even when
they’re starving and there isn’t much food.
It’s the girls at
the home who call me Tita Ruth and tell me their stories.
It’s the boys from
the street who yell for Ate Ruth and swarm me with hugs and walk with me down
the street.
It’s one of my
squadmates taking time to hang out and talk and spend time with me.
It’s my friends
asking the hard questions and challenging me to be who God created me to be.
It’s seeing God’s
glory revealed in His creation in the form of turquoise waterfalls and emerald
trees.
It’s watching a
hungry child get a good meal.
It’s sweating
buckets (literally) under the hot Filipino sun as I help dig the foundation for
a new hospital wing.
It’s the old man,
missing his right leg and begging for money, who grins delightedly and loves
having his picture taken.
It’s the young
girl, huddled in a dirty shirt, who sits on a bridge every day and begs.
It’s ten year old Sam*
who falls asleep on a sidewalk with his head in my lap.
It’s knowing that
God is using me to make a difference.
It’s the little things in life that really
matter. So pay attention to them.
