This morning our team spent time observing and helping at The Scheel Center in Jocotenango. This is an incredible facility that ministers to street children who are three or more years behind in school. This accelerated program helps to catch them up and provide a quality education and career training to improve their future and break the cycle of poverty.
In the afternoon we returned to Antigua and spent more time at Hermano Pedro. As usual, we returned to an empty courtyard as the children had been placed in their beds for the rest of the day. That quickly changed as we liberated them from their cages and filled the courtyard with laughter and squeals (of both the children and our team).
My day was made as I exited a ward to find little Louis in Wanda’s arms. When we arrived on Saturday, we found out that he had never returned to his ward following the holidays and our hearts were broken. We have fallen in love with this little guy and were extremely sad not to see him during this trip. That despair quickly returned to joy upon find that he had returned this morning! Thank you, God, for that gift!
I have never seen the kids of Hermano Pedro as happy as they were today. Paulo, who rarely smiles or even makes eye contact, was laughing aloud as Don, one of our team, played with him. Delmi was smiling broadly as Marisa talked and played with her. And Ervin, who rarely has anything to do with anyone except Dick Rutgers and me was crawling around generously dispensing hugs and kisses to everyone who would have them! Love flowed freely and the place was filled with joy. As I looked across the courtyard I couldn’t help but feel that it was a little taste of heaven!
As I share this with you, I have to make a confession that shames me. I have gotten used to the living conditions of the children at HP. I bring team after team into those wards and explain the conditions and introduce them to the children. And I tell them, often through tears, how hard their lives are. But there are nights that I tuck the children into their cribs and walk away without stopping to remember how wrong it all is.
Tonight was not one of those nights. As I was preparing to place Lionel back into his stainless steel cage the Holy Spirit nailed me right in the heart and I saw that place anew. And as I laid him in his bed and kissed him goodnight I broke down and wept like I did the first time I entered those wards. It continued as I laid Jo Jo in his bed, and Miriam in hers. I lowered the side of Ervin’s crib and hugged him, and as he held me tightly and would not let go, I wept again.
I cried for two reasons. First, because no human being should ever, ever, ever have to live that way! It is a violation of all that is holy and good. I was weeping tears of sorrow and frustration that our sinful world has fallen so far.
Second, I wept out of shame that I had allowed myself to ever get used to that abomination. I cried because I fail to cry every time that I say goodnight. Lord, please forgive me for not being broken every day by the things that break your heart.
And so, I will go to bed tonight with a fresh commitment to my Jesus to remember to see each day and each need with His eyes.
