Their faces shine with the brightest of joy. The laughter that flows from the depths of their soul is so contagious. Small pictures are given at the end of the journey as signs of gratitude and love. The deepest feelings of an adventure completed, yet a sense of wanting more collide deep within my soul.
The past two weeks spent in Nepal were truly incredible. With each return visit, relationships deepen and new ones bloom. It’s so amazing sometimes to meet these precious individuals and to hear their stories. Heart wrenching stories of abandonment, abuse, loss, poverty and neglect turn to redemptive journeys of hope, destiny, healing, love, and encouragement…journeys of purpose! One’s story is not often fully told. Its requires time and energy to sit and engage as the other listens. We have forgotten what it means to truly invest into people. These past two weeks the TV never came on, the phone never rang. What did happen was people sharing life together from two opposing sides of the world…for this I am changed.
Let’s call him Sarg. He was born into this world and never knew the events that would shape his life. As just a young boy, he was abandoned by his family and became a “street kid.” He was left to figure out his own way through life. How to eat? Where to sleep? Where to bathe? What it meant to be a man? No direction or anyone to affirm or love on him. After his stint on the streets, he was welcomed into a family of believers who knew what it meant to take care of the abandoned and rejected. A safe home, warm food and security is what he found on this next leg of his journey. At the age of 12, the doors of his heart welcomed someone who would forever change his life. He was his new Savior, Jesus. Following this, his once abandoned mother came to know the same love and acceptance of Jesus. Still separated by rejection and distance, neither knew their future. Never in their wildest dreams could they imagine that their paths would be redeemed. Mom cam to know the same family and is now reunited with both of her sons. She now serves as a house mother for other kids who have been brought from a similar past.
Chelley is another beautiful story. A little girl’s dream is to grow up and to be a princess someday. To one day live her greatest desires and dreams out loud with joy and abundance. For that little girl her dreams are to be encouraged by her parents and strengthened by her surroundings. However, sometimes the journey takes a drastic detour. A beautiful young girl with several sisters is born to a mother who is more concerned with her personal survival and well being. When this innocent little girl reaches her teenage years, it is typical for her to have a little crush or two. Never in a million years does she think what reality will serve her cold and brutality. This precious little girl would not be seen as the gift she truly is, but as a way to earn money. Her very own mother would sell her to an unknown man for his pleasure and discretion. Being sold as a prostitute is something this little girl would never dream of, yet would become her most real future. After going away with her new “owner” it is only a miracle her next steps. She knew something wasn’t right as she snuck away to the bathroom and was able to crawl out a bathroom window. Out of the bathroom window held a destiny she was not sure of, yet she knew she did not want to be a part of the place she just left.
She too was found and welcomed into a loving family that told her she is a daughter of Royalty. Her value and worth was not base on what an “owner” said, but she was meant for a life of abundance and joy. Now at the age of 18, this beautiful young lady has real brothers and sisters who love her and encourage her. She lives in a home where she is affirmed and loved while being taught her identity in Christ. She is a beautiful daughter of the King of Kings.
Story after story turns the pages of kids and young adults in this family. The enemy had severe plans to destroy their life…to steal their joy…to kill them. However, someone greater, more powerful has come so they no longer have to be known as street kids, prostitutes, forgotten, or rejects. He came so they would know what a plentiful life is meant to be. That they would know a love that is truly unconditional and never ceases. That they would have peace forever rather than being tormented with the fears, abuse and horror.
I look into these kids’ eyes each time and I am overwhelmed. Their stories are often kept quite and never told to the outside. They laugh and play with the most adventure and deepest of joy. My heart is engulfed with gratitude to know and love on these kids. Its times like this that makes the God given Father Heart within me explode and yet ask so many questions.
As we ended our short venture to Nepal, I receive hand made cards expressing their thanks, love and kind words. I read their prayers for me as I return back to my home and the requests for a quick return back to them. There is not enough money on Earth that could buy the joy, the happiness, the love and excitement I feel for these kids. No words can truly describe how my soul really feels right now. There is a mixture of emotions that flow from the wellspring of my heart. There are feelings of sadness from leaving my little friends behind to overwhelming joy as I look over my snapshots. This trip was one that increased my capacity to feel. One that expanded my heart to love more. An adventure that stretched my faith to greater levels. My compassion continues to increase for “the least of these.”
Each smile, each laugh, every tear, and set of feet have a story of a unique journey. A journey that is special and that began one way, but through the amazing compassion and love of incredible people has been changed. I have been changed! Their smiles are engraved into my dreams at night. As I lay my head down to rest, I simply thank God for the opportunity to have spent time with these His special kids. I long to once again laugh and play with my little friends. Until then, I hold dear their faces and words in my heart.
