I am not alone. Your heart is my home. Let the world hear your beautiful voice...
I had the chance to work with the last City of Children mission team from Pennsylvania this week on benevolence visits to the church members in Maneadero. It was a great blessing to meet and share moments in song and prayer with our brothers and sisters there.
On Tuesday, we met these sweet siblings who received us in their home alone. It is not unusual to meet young children home alone during the day while their parents are at work. They know and trust the preacher and will allow us to come in. These kids did not have parents at work but three older brothers. The oldest is 20 followed by an 18 and 17 year old (I believe). They work full time and only the youngest two are still in school. Five siblings. One girl and four boys. They live alone and support themselves. Their father lives in the U.S. and their mother abandoned them some years ago.
We share how proud we are of them for going to church and taking on such great responsibilities at such a young age. They shyly sing 'Cristo me ama' (Jesus loves me) with us and allow us to pray for their family. Their faces light up as we leave behind some candy in addition to the food packs, and we hope to brighten their day with smiles and hugs.
I leave there feeling so empty. With so many questions. Their small 2 room house was one of the cleanest I have visited. It is overwhelming to think of such a lifestyle but amazing to remember that God holds these children in his Hand just as tightly as each one of us.
What a blessing it is they have this church family to care for and look after them. What a greater assurance that they have a loving heavenly Father who knows them and longs to show his love for them. I pray that they hear the voice of God and feel his love, peace, provision, hope for their futures, strength in their weak moments and protection against the evil one.
His heart tells us we are not alone.
My sweet friend Cristina, who has spent the summer serving at the City of Children also wrote a beautiful piece on the loneliness and hopelessness that so easily overcome our precious niños at the orphanage here.
We often do not know the right words to say, but we are here to be Jesus. The one who rescued us from the enemy and lights up our darkness.
God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
Psalm 18:38
