And He said to them,
“I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and
start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom,
let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child,
will rank high in God’s kingdom.” Matthew 18:1-5
My favorite parts of every week here have been in the times
that I have gotten to hang out with all of the adorable, hilarious, sweet, wild
children. My week in the village of Oasis was no different, in fact, I was in
Heaven because that area is overflowing with them. There is an endless supply
of curious, eager, kids that happen to pop up everywhere you look.
Oasis is a village set along the train tracks with houses
lined up next to each other reaching down the tracks for miles. The people who
live there do not own their land but rather live as a community of squatters.
Jobs are limited and families are forced to do whatever they can just to meet
the basic needs of their families. Water is taken to houses through filling
giant buckets and pushing the heavy containers on a cart down the train tracks
to the houses. Everywhere you look, you see kids running around without shoes
on, wearing tattered, ripped clothing. You quickly get used to the sight of
children only as old as 6 or 7 carrying around their infant siblings and being
in charge of caring for them. It’s not uncommon to see a small child walking
down the road holding a toddler by their hand, while lugging around a baby on
their hip who looks about half their size. In fact, there are also 12 year old
mothers cradling their babies standing in front of their houses. At the
entrance of the village sits a canal with contaminated water. Houses are constructed
with sticks, corrugated metal, mud, and tarps. Life there is hard and it can be
difficult to look at this place and see much of a future.
Regardless of these facts, this is the site of one my
greatest lessons learned this summer, resulting in a moment where God became
more real to me and gave me a clearer understanding of what our relationship
should be. Despite the hardships, in my time there, I found nothing BUT joy,
generosity, and hope. We were welcomed in with sincerity and by the time we
left, we felt as though we were a part of the community. This should not be
surprising to me since this is how Jesus’ reverse economy works and we have
seen if over and over in the Bible. After all, He does tell us that if we give
away our lives, we will find life given back. (Luke 6:38)
Through the dirt smudged little faces starting back up at me
that week, I learned an incredible lesson. Yes, we have heard what seems like a
thousand times that we are supposed to have the faith of a child. I guess I didn’t
fully understand what that meant until this summer because God decided in my
time here, He needed to give me a very vivid, tangible way to grasp that
concept. Through just spending time with these beautiful children, I was given
a picture of what He calls us to be.
The kids here in Guatemala are among the most loving
children I’ve ever met. They meet you and within several minutes, even seconds,
you’re usually fast friends. They LOVE to play with us gingos, whether that
means teaching us how to spin their old wooden tops, playing a game of soccer
or duck duck goose, taking silly pictures and then laughing hysterically as
they look at themselves, or even sneaking up to poke our sides, and then
quickly dashing away in hopes that we’ll go running after them. It’s obvious
they’re just craving that attention, it’s like a hunger they are chasing after
to fulfill. It’s really not important what we’re doing, they’re even content
just to be in our presence no matter what we’re doing. They don’t care that
they can’t understand everything we say but rather it’s enough to just sit in
our laps without talking or silently holding our hands as we walk. The language
barrier doesn’t stop them as they strive to communicate any way they can through
drawings, gestures, or asking us to teach them some words in English.
This is exactly what God wants from us. He wants us to seek
after Him as if we have a thirst so unquenchable that we will do anything it
takes to just be near Him, to spend time with Him, and to get to know Him better.
He wants nothing to deter us, even when we can’t always understand what He is
trying to communicate. Instead, He wants that to cause us to cling all the more
tightly to His side, asking questions, desiring to learn all we can from Him. He
promises if He seek Him with our whole hearts He’s not going to let us down.
These kids aren’t constantly asking us what’s next or what
we’re doing. They don’t ask why we’re doing this or that but rather get excited
for each new surprise or activity we bring to them. With their eyes sparkling
with delight and anticipation, they almost cannot contain their emotions to see
what we’re prepared for VBS that day. Often times, the thrill of it all is just
too much to contain, and as we pull out the bottle of bubbles, show the new
craft, or reveal the bright parachute, they can’t help up overflow that
excitement with an ear piercing squeal of delight. They know that whatever we
have for them is good and that in some way it’s going to benefit them. Am I
anxiously awaiting what God has in store for me so much that I almost can’t
handle it? Do I trust Him with all my whole heart, believing completely that no
matter what He has, it’ll be something amazing even when I can’t see it right
away? Do I just accept where He’s led me and without asking questions or
complaining, I instead just jump in head first ready to follow?
Rather than demonstrating fear or apprehension of the new
people, activities, stories, and ideas brought forth, the kids instead listen
with wide open eyes, ready and willing to learn. Instead of complaining about
their situations and the difficult life situations they’re surrounded by, they
have laughter and smiles that are contagious. One day when I was leaving VBS to
get in the bus, little 5 year old Eddy leapt into my arms and clung on with all
of the might his little body could muster. When I told him I’d see him
tomorrow, he just wouldn’t take no for an answer but instead kept kissing my
cheek and telling me I had to stay there. I eventually had to pry his little
arms off of my body as he was grasping on so tightly like a little koala bear
that I let go completely and he was still attached as secure as ever. I would
love to possess what Eddy has when it comes to God. I want to reach for him and
jump into His arms with all the confidence that He will catch me. Then I want
to hold on so tightly no matter what, having faith so strong that I absolutely
refuse to let go regardless of what other people are telling me. Then just as
Eddy was relentlessly kissing my cheek even as I was telling him something he
didn’t want to hear, I want to just keep loving God as hard as I can,
especially when I’m experiencing things I
don’t like.
 |
| Eddy, the koala |
A few weeks ago when I was in La Avenzada, I often had a 9
year old, little buddy named Esperanza close to my side. On the last day as we
were preparing to leave, Esperanza exploded with giggles and told me she was
going to go with me. I played along telling her how much I would love that! The
whole walk up to the vans, she kept telling me she was going to come. As we
finally reached the top, she told me “one second, I just need to go ask my
mom.” With that it hit me. She hadn’t been just been being a silly little girl
talking about her dreams and make believing. She actually was planning on
coming with me. My heart broke because I would love nothing more than to scoop
her up and bring her back to Missouri with me. But obviously that’s not
realistic and she has a solid family in La Avenzada that loves and cares for
her.
 |
| Esperanza |
But through this occurrence I was left in awe at her
willingness to just leave all she’s ever known and just go with me, a stranger
from a place she’s never been who she had only known for about 4 days. She
didn’t know where we were going, what we’d be doing, or what it’d be like but
for some reason she trusted me enough to believe I was going to take care of
her. And once again, God gave me another clear picture of His plan. He calls us
to trust Him with EVERYTHING, knowing He knows what’s best and is going to work
it out for our good. We should be perfectly content without all the answers. It
should have no effect on us whether or not we can see the end in sight. Right
now we’re seeing in a fog anyway and He tells us we’re actually not going to
know everything until He reveals it all to us in the end. Until then we need to
trust. We need to look up at Him with a smile and tell Him we’re with Him. We
need to be willing like little Esperanza was to take Him by the hand and follow
Him wherever He’s going.
Looking back over my time here, I stand amazed at the fact
that He decided to use this summer to teach me some things that caused me to
really think and grow. Not only that but He did it in a way that was so
blatantly obvious, that there was no way I could miss it. But what really
leaves me in awe is that He chose to use the smallest, most innocent, ones to
do it. But then again, isn’t that the kind of thing He always does?
See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.
For I tell you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of my Father in
Heaven. Matthew 18:10
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