loving like Jesus [[Tuesday, November 22]]

"Entonces dijo:
—Les aseguro que a menos que ustedes cambien y se vuelvan como niños, no entrarán en el reino de los cielos. Por tanto, el que se humilla como este niño será el más grande en el reino de los cielos.
Y el que recibe en mi nombre a un niño como éste, me recibe a mí." -Mateo 18:3-5

"Then Jesus said, '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, Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.'" -Matthew 18:3-5


Today I thought would never end. Trying to care for children with special needs is exhausting, and I couldn't wait for the week to end...and it was only Tuesday. I began to wonder why I even chose to come, it was hard labor lifting those children and getting them changed and fed...I felt like I was not good at this kind of work at all. So, why Lord, why am I here? That's when I began to feel peace that God would change my mindset and that He would give me more of a heart like His.

I had one camper in particular that I fed quite a bit. Julio. His face lit up everytime I talked to him, and he always needed a hug in the morning. He has the greatest smile too. After our morning breakfast of eggs, tortillas, beans, and fried bananas, we went to the chapel for a Bible story. I'm hearing so much Spanish that I'm beginning to think in it. Not that I'm complaining :) I love the language. We played games with the kids in the gym and it was fun being able to be legs for these children who couldn't walk. I opted out of one of the games because we had to run sucking on a funnel to keep a balloon attached to the funnel; however, everyone had to suck on the funnel and pass it on to the next person. I was a little grossed out by that. At lunch time I fed David. The poor boy is in so much pain from his condition that he always holds his legs up to his chest. I began to feel like a mom probably does...I wish I could take away the pain. But many of these children can testify to God's faithfulness in their lives.

We had craft time and I helped Julio put stickers on his wheelchair bag. It's funny the things these children are happy to receive--wheelchair bags. hmm, it really made me think of all the things that I have that I'm not even thankful for. How many times have I thanked God that I had a bed to sleep in?

After crafts we went back to the chapel for another message and then had free time. Andrea, a girl with autism and down syndrome, came and sat in my lap with a pair of scissors and some paper and began cutting the paper into millions of tiny pieces. She was happy doing that for 45 mintues until we had game stations.

At dinner we had coffee (it's Guatemala's specialty and I don't think that there could be any better coffee than this). We had a bonfire that night as well and the sky above looked like someone had spilled diamonds across the sky. I couldn't ask for anything better. :) After, I took one of the girls back to the girls' room and helped some of the other women get the girls ready for bed. After today, I just kept asking God for strength to get me through the week.

Holy are You, God
Holy is Your name
With everything I've got
My heart will sing
How I love You

                                                                                                                           
Santo eres Dios
Tu nombre santo es
Con todo lo que soy
Te cantaré
Cuánto te amo


<3 Kay