Give Me Your Hand

This afternoon we pulled into Juno's (a Haitian orphanage) unannounced. Our plans were to go to another orphanage... but as frequently happens, God had different plans. Due to some miscommunication we found ourselves stepping off of the tap tap and into the lives of fifteen precious little ones whom we have never met.
We spent time playing, singing, snacking, and even sharing the Bible story of Jesus walking on water. Our time was short and sweet, but certainly not in vain. We found out from Juno that of all the children, only four were true orphans - meaning both parents have passed away. The other eleven were from Cite Soleil (where we previously accompanied water trucks) and have been left with Juno in hopes for a better life. How difficult must life be for a parent to willingly leave their child with a stranger  in hopes of a better life? It is one thing to make sure that your child will be well fed, well bathed and have a bed to call their own.
However, this was a place littered with trash and waste, covered in dust and dirt, yet essentially the hope that these Haitian parents clung to. If there is one thing we have learned this week it is affirmation that there is none too poor, too dirty, too broken, too naked, too stupid, too drunken to be thrown outside God's love.

Our hope is in Christ. We have faith in our Lord who cares for the the orphan. Today we witnessed the joyful worship of fifteen souls while they sang - making evident God is revealing himself to them.  We desire for God to carry on to completion the work He has begun in each life. While the role that we play in this end is unclear, the two hour trip we took -to hold, to sing, to teach, to love, to kiss- may have had a greater impact on us than them.

-D. Wriggs and M. Hughes

Touched

The Home for the Sick and Dying was a hospital I visited today and a place that gave dignity to those who were at the end of their lives. My experience there this morning was one of tender moments with many. I used wipes to clean the women and body lotion to soften their arms, legs, and face. Some women encouraged us to paint their nails.

Although I looked forward to being a part of an organization that cared for people with such honor, I was hesitant to touch these women whom I didn't know or had never met. I soon found out that these women hungered for touch and to have someone invest in them.  Their smiles and inviting eyes gave way to soft sounds of delight or words of appreciation. A sweet spirit prevailed.

I left knowing these women were ministered to in a way God would've wanted, and I was blessed by women who taught me that receiving is as much a gift as giving.

Gail Dart