Struggling for words

The growth, revelation and conviction the Lord provided throughout the mission trip was such an intimate experience for me, that honestly, I am struggling to paraphrase it into words. Even my greatest attempts will fall short of glorifying all He did. Over the next month I will post individual revelations and experiences from the trip, and for the purpose of this post, I will give a general overview of our days and describe some special relationships developed throughout the trip.

Each morning, our team gathered for prayer to focus our minds in Christ before the work-day. We then loaded into vans, drove through the jungle on rural, bumpy, gravel roads and visited small schools. Each day, the Lord provided me with the opportunity to share His truth and love with the children by being silly and having fun! On the first day I bonded with a group of teenage girls who would not leave my side. We talked about casual topics like fashion, boys dance and music, and moved into deeper conversation like respecting our bodies, what that means, and how much Jesus loves them.
I was so blessed by this next thing.. this little girl Kimberly had straw stuck in her earing holes. I asked why and she said she lost her earrings. My natural instinct was to take my own earings out and give them to her. They looked beautiful on. Giving blessed me so much.

The second day I built a strong bond with 3 boys who were a HUGE help in installing the libraries. They surprised me. I started to ask them questions about Jesus, hoping for an opportunity to share truth with them, when they blew me out of the water with all they knew! This precious 11 year old boy began to share with me his contemplation… He wants to get married but he also wants to be a priest.. and he doesn’t know what to do. I was stunned as I began discussing the book of Psalms with these heavy topics with this precious 11 year-old boy.

On the third day, two 10 year-old boys, Richard and Brandon, stuck with me the entire day lifting boxes, going through dirty trash, and organizing books. Never in my life have I seen children work so hard. At the end of the day I paid them each a few dollars and told them to continue to work hard at school and to help their parents at home, and that hard work and responsibility will be rewarded.

Something that fascinated me is this: When I asked the children what they liked to do for fun they answered by saying they liked to play. When I asked what they liked to play they replied “anything.” As the day went on we played simple games.. catch, jump rope, yo-yo’s. These kids just like to play! In the USA kids are so easily bored.. kids don’t know how to just play anymore.. they have to be doing “something”… a video game, doll house, electronic devices etc. Even as an adult, I have a hard time just “being”—I like to be riding my bike, at the art museum, traveling the town. I’m not saying that the lifestyle of an American is bad, it is just another perspective and makes me appreciate the Belizian’s ability to “just be” and to live simply.

In the evenings the team gathered for reflection and prayer and then broke off to explore the local cuisine. Throughout the week I was encouraged by the stories and experiences shared by the individuals on my team. As teammates shared struggles that occurred during their lifetime, I was amazed at the strength the Lord provided them to overcome fears and hardships. The passion and hearts of my teammates opened my eyes in many ways and grew me even closer to His love for us. Through the work of our hands, the love of the children, and the encouragement of the team, the Lord allowed my heart, mind, and spirit to be restored.