I’ve been feeling slightly bummed since Wednesday. Why? A year ago on Wednesday, I left Jacksonville to go live in Houston, Texas for nine weeks and work at an inner-city mission. Had God led me back there this year, I would have left on Tuesday. I have such good memories of that special place and I have great friends from there. I know that God has plans for me these last two months that I live with my parents before moving away in August, but my heart longs to be a little place called Mission Centers of Houston….:(
One of the many amazing memories I have of Houston is working with the kids that lived in Fletcher Mission's community, which was the mission I was assigned to by Mission Centers of Houston. The kids would come to the mission Monday-Thursday during the afternoons and be part of an event called Kids' Club, which is basically like a Vacation Bible School. During free time, the kids would always get to play with the toys we had for them at the mission.
One day as I was on "make sure the kids don't kill each other" duty, I saw two little boys playing soccer. They had the little minature goal set up and everything. Only to my horror, the soccer ball began to bounce and dribble up and down. They weren't playing with a soccer ball. They were playing soccer with a basketball. "This can't fly," I muttered to myself and went to go do something about it. Playing soccer with a basketball was just begging for disatre (disaster). So I went over to the kids and told them not to use a basketball to play soccer. I then went to the toys closet and got a nice soccer ball for them to play with.
"Use this, you guys. Here, give me the basketball." The kids looked at me and one of them started whining.
"Pero esta pelota es MIA!!!!!" (this ball is mine) cried the boy. "Si, pero tengo algo mejor para ti. Pero para recibirla, me tienes que dar lo que tienes ahora." (Yes, but I have something better for you. But in order to get it, you have to give me what you have now.) The boy wouldn't cooperate so I finally had to snatch the ball from him. Yeah he wasn't a happy chico and because he was a pain I didn't give him the soccer ball right away as payback/discipline. But...when he finally did get the soccer ball he realized it was a lot better to play soccer with.
When you're a kid toys mean the world to you. When someone wants to take away your toy, your life is over practically, never mind the fact that they have something better in store for you! I believe that we can learn a lot from kids as people. Sometimes in our lives we have things that mean a lot to us, such as a position at work, a dating relationship, a friendship, a career, whatever. When that thing is taken from us, we freak out. Little do we know that when God takes something away from us, He has something better for us. He knows that that thing in our lives is just like a kid trying to play soccer with a basketball: something that just doesn't belong there or that could prevent us from doing everything to fulfill our purpose. It feels like we've lost everything and that we'll never, ever get something better. But the truth is, when God takes away it's because He has something better for us. He has a purpose in mind for us that won't be properly fulfilled if that obstacle is in our lives, so He takes it away to give us something better and more suited for His purpose. He needs to give that basketball to someone who is trying to play basketball and that soccer ball to you, who is trying to play soccer.
"The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me," says Psalm 138:8. I fully believe that He will do this, even if that means taking away things from us sometimes to give us something better and fulfill His purpose for us. Because after all, using a basketball to play soccer is lame!
He who has begun a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it! Love it! I miss Mexico so much and the kids at Casa Hogar. They were such an inspiration and my heart breaks every time I think of their big brown eyes staring into mine. I remember one little boy who fell asleep in my arms, he was so heavy and it was so hot outside, but I kept rocking him to sleep and when I tucked him into bed he stirred a little and I said "God loves you" in English. He could not be more than 3 years old but I know he knew I loved him and God did too. He was the bully on the playground, sweaty and mean at times. But I felt called to reach out to this little soul. I hope he grows up to become a man of God. These orphans often plaque my mind when I think back to the bus ride from the airport in Monterrey. Everyone was asleep, but the sight of cardboard boxes and 2x4's, bare feet and hungry babies still brings me to tears seven years later. We have so much here and so much love. Children just need love and time. We aren't much better in the states, although more wealthy monetarily speaking. Our children suffer from drug/alcohol abuse, suicidal thoughts, teen pregnancy, fatal car accidents, the evils of materialism and selfishness. The needs of our youth are no different. The variables are money, opportunity and convenient access/laziness. We are a wealthy nation, a land of opportunity and convenience. However, how many parents really spend time with their children and teach them right from wrong? How many parents listen to their kids and give good advice? How often and how quick do we, as a society, slap a lovely label on those who may not fit the mold of "normal child behavior"? It is a travesty that so many children suffer unnecessarily for no reason at all. If we loved a little more and lied a little less to our children then maybe the whole world and the future generations would be a little wiser and able to cope. Keep writing! You inspire ME! :)
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