A Glimpse
Posted by Sarah , Thursday, July 29, 2010 2:03 PM
Our family is on the Rez this week for the last team week of the summer. We're here with Covenant Presbyterian Church (from Issaquah, WA) and First Presbyterian Church (Chattanooga, TN). I usually have a hard time catching my thoughts and holding them in one place for long when we're out here, but writing typically balances it out a little, and stories are so important in this culture of ministry. Here's a glimpse into my life this week, an excerpt from my journal.
Yesterday at Kid's Club, two little boys came walking over the sparse grass toward the many adults and other children playing with Nerf rockets, jump ropes, crafts, and balls. One of them, the one who stole my heart yesterday, I think was named Devon, although I probably misheard. (Names are still so hard for me out here because I'm at Kid's Club so sporadically still. The faces change but not all of them and I already struggle with names.)
This little one was holding his left hand up to his ear and as I got a closer look, I saw a bandage peeking from beneath his precious little fingers, the very ones the Lord formed in his mother's womb. I held out a matchbox car to each boy, silently inviting them to sit on the dusty tarp and join the other boys so contentedly zooming cars up and down my arm and creating roads in the dirt. (The typical boy-ness of the play stood in such stark contrast with the broken hearts and painful lives I was conscious these children were going home to face.)
Devon and brother sat at a corner and slowly crept closer to me, clearly wanting one of the more desirable cars in my lap. I asked "Do you have an owie on your ear?" and Devon's brother looked gravely at me, nodding. "He got bit by a dog," he said. My heart breaking yet again at the fresh tragedy of his little pain, I gently rested my hand on his back, softly stroking it. "I'm so sorry, " I said, "That must hurt a lot." His eyes, big brown pools, looked into mine as he nodded his head. Not once the entire two hours at Totus did his left hand leave his ear.
(I longed to pull him into my lap and tenderly whisper the love of God to him but, torn between this longing and knowing the likelihood that many touches he knows are hurtful, I settled for building trust while showering him with gentle words, kind pats, and allowing him to lean into me while playing with cars. I delighted in meeting other small needs like playing and helping him get a cup of water.)
We played, we loved, we listened, we talked, we prayed. I pray for this precious one today, that his ear would heal, that you would take away any infection, that you would relieve his pain so he can come back to Kid's Club today and feel your love through your children.
There isn't a lot to say. It is all inside.
I remember my years in the heart of LA and my Good Newws club boys. 22 Hispanic speaking youngsters...and I didn't speak Spanish, but they listed to the Bible stories and I have so many emotioal memories of "break-thrus" to the Word of God. I know where you are coming from and I bless you for the willingtness to go there!