Jesus said...

We have definitely had a full day, every day while here in Haiti.  There is constantly so much to take in that at times it can be a bit overwhelming at best, but it seems as though at the end of every day there is a resounding theme, a recurring thought...and today it has everything to do with the heart of Jesus about children.

Can you imagine the scene?  Jesus has been ministering all day long, feeding people, making crooked legs straight and bringing the dead back to life.  And surely at some point He eats some fish along the way.  It is nearing the end of yet another packed day in the life of our Savior, and oh snap...here come the children!  Who lets those kids in here after all?  The disciples, in the "good intentions" of their hearts (though God calls our hearts desperately wicked), shoo them away.  But in a still moment, Jesus stops them and says this, "Let the little children come unto Me for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  Wow...sit on that for a minute.

We had an incredible training with the staff of World Relief today and the Haitians shared their burdens and struggles in working with the children here...there is not enough help, there is not enough money, the problem is just too big...and the list goes on and on.  We shared together, exchanging ideas and brainstorming and yet by the end of it all had also laughed together and cried together.

A mere few hours later and we find ourselves surrounded by 50+ orphans.  Smiles bright and their faces lit up, they simply could not stop climbing all over us, holding our hands and asking our names.  It is here that we will spend the remainder of our trip, conducting a childrens outreach and loving on some precious children.  Their stories are graphic, their hope is dim and yet their inheritance as a child of God is rich.  The kingdom of heaven belongs to these ones.

I sat for awhile tonight on a step while a precious girl slept in my arms, taking it all in.  The dust kicked up and the echoing laughter of the children, the running around in circles and feeling our hair, the dogs barking in the background and the resounding sounds of car horns littering the streets...for a moment it became a blur and was just too much to take in.  Then I heard Jesus speak again, in that still small voice and most gentle of a whisper...and yet with such authority and power that all of creation pauses to listen:  "Let the little children come unto Me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to these."  With a tear streaming down my dust-covered cheek and a precious girl in my arms, I couldn't help but wait in eager expectation for what God would do these next few days.  It's beyond amazing how just one word spoken from Jesus can change everything...what has He spoken to you?