--Show Me How to Love Like You Have Loved Me--

Finding it hard to believe that two months ago I was in Honduras, ending a fun, emotional, and life changing week.
While preparing to go on my trip, people asked how they could pray for me. I asked them to pray that I would have a love that I can't explain for the kids.. A love that I would know only came from Christ and his strength.
I connected with a different girl or boy on a different level each day, and have so many pictures and memories with all  of the kids of GSCH. However, one child that sticks out to me when I think of that week is Viviana. 
On night one, Julia and I volunteered to go to Casita One and do our devotional with the girls. If I'm being honest, I think I volunteered just so I could get doing my devo out of the way.. But God clearly had other plans. 
The 12 girls of Casita one were ages 3-6, and lived there with their two Tia's, Paola and Ana. 
This night, the girls were all over us, sitting on our laps, drawing in our journals, and wanting to play with our things. I remember Viviana sitting near me and then taking pictures with her. Each night I went back, she would make her way to me and sit on my lap.. I came to realize on night 3, that if I were to start giving my attention to someone else, she would start crying.. And it wasn't a whiny, "I want my way cry" either. It broke my heart to see those tears, and I took her in the other room and asked her what was wrong; and she just hugged me so tightly and wouldn't let me go.. I then put her in bed, and was excited to see her the next morning in school. On night 4, Wednesday, a similar situation happened, but this time, she wasn't the only one crying.. (I was too).  As I put her in bed, she gave me the best hug I have ever received, and then called me back and said, "wait, this is for you!" And gave me her bracelet. I then gave her another hug and have never felt such a warm, loving or tight embrace...  
I have thought about Viv everyday for the past two months. I miss her more and more everyday, but I'm so thankful for the week I had with her. 
When people ask how my trip was, I can truly see how God worked and answered my prayers. I couldn't explain what I was feeling when I got back, and didn't know why. I was frustrated, upset and confused, but then came to a realization. The reason I was so confused and unsure of what to say when people asked me how Honduras was, was because God truly answered my prayer. I couldn't explain it, because the love I have for the kids, and the special bond I have with Viviana, is that unexplainable love I prayed for. 
I still can't believe it's been two months that I've been home. I miss GSCH and Honduras, a lot.. But with that being said, I'm so thankful for the lessons God taught me, and showing me the power of prayer, and the love I am able to have for others, through Him and His strength. 

Ephesians 3: 16-21:
 " that according to the riches of his glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,  to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

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