Wow! I can’t believe how
time is flying by! Two weeks ago, I was not looking forward to long days.
However, as the week began, I developed a routine and fell in love with the
children I have the privilege of serving. My days started at 8:00 a.m. when I
left my apartment for New Life. We would begin our time with them in assembly
for about thirty minutes. After assembly, we took trips to the neighborhood
playground and park. This involved about a twenty minute walk to the park and a
twenty minute walk back to the church when we finished. This walk gave us many
opportunities to get to know the kids. Most of the time, I was in the back
holding the boys’ hands that wouldn’t pay attention when walking. Because they
were the ADHD children, I got to hear many funny conversations. One in
particular didn’t stop talking even when you didn’t respond to his many
questions. Also, picture a six year old Asian boy singing the wrong lyrics of
Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” at the top of his lungs and dancing while walking
down the street. After getting to the park, I would push some of the younger
girls on the swings. It was such a blessing to have this sweet time to talk
with them and get a glimpse of their lives and hearts. Later in the week, the
children discovered how fun water balloons are. A couple of days, I walked away
with a wet spot on my shirt from where the boys thought it would be hilarious
to get me wet. However, on Friday, it was a different story. One of the interns
I am with was filling up their water balloons. Apparently, she started telling
each child that I really wanted to get wet. I was at the swings pushing the
girls when the first one came. After that, I got up to get a water balloon of
my own to get him back. That was a mistake. . . One after another started
coming. It continued until long after I was literally soaked from head to toe.
The smiles and laughter that I heard after they “got Ms. Abby with the water
balloons” was worth being drenched and not having a change of clothes. Each day
after we returned from the park, the children could choose to play basketball
or make a craft. After that, we would leave to grab a quick lunch before
heading to the church to watch the children during the training in the
afternoons.
During the week, we
have our intern small group on Wednesdays and our girls small group Thursday. I
have loved this time to grow in my faith with my fellow interns. God has
already been teaching me many things through it. One of these is being content
and joyful in the “small things” God calls me to. It is easy for me to respond
to the big things God calls me to do. People see the big things we do. It makes
me feel good when someone notices and thanks me for “the difference I’m
making.” However, when God calls me to push little girls on swings everyday for
over an hour in the hot sun, it is a lot harder. Not many people notice that.
It’s very convicting to examine where my heart really is. Do I do these things
for the glory of God or for my own glory? I should be joyful and feel privileged
that God would use me to push these girls on the swings.
Thank you, again, for
your continued prayers and support throughout this month!
Please pray that:
1. I would respond when God calls me to the "little things" and do it with a cheerful heart.
2. God would continue to work in the hearts of the children going with their families on the mission field. Pray that they would understand more and more why their parents are going and find how they fit into the picture of ministry.
3. We would all have continued patience with the other interns, staff, and children.
4. I would begin feeling better soon and be able to rest since I haven't felt well the last couple of days.
