So a missions trip with "no real project or goal"? Are you kidding me? I have to admit, that thought "may" have crossed my mind on the way down to the Bolivian Life Center in Cochabamba, Bolivia. What I was about to experience though, blew my mind and anything that I ever expected.
Our "mission" became abundantly clear within the first afternoon at the orphanage - we were being called to love more, hug tighter, laugh louder, act sillier, dance crazier, and speak using our actions more than we ever had before. To say that we slept well was an understatement, as we went to bed completely drained from giving all we had to give each and every day with these boys. To see those beautiful faces early each morning, waiting for the slightest bit of individual attention from any of us, was moving to say the least. In those interactions with the boys there was so much love that was transacted, whether through a look of compassion, a head nod of acknowledgment, a hand held firmly, a little body squeezed tightly, or a tickle so wonderfully planned and administered. God allowed us to be ambassadors of His Kingdom in the way we demonstrated His love for those boys in the everyday things. Were we willing to get dirty with those precious boys? Would we fearlessly engage in a water balloon fight and walk away completely spent, covered in dirt and drenched with water? Would I attempt to stumble through a prayer in Espanol, just to show that special child how much it meant to me to be able to pray with and over him? All for the sake of showing these boys how precious they are in our sight but more importantly the sight of the One they have come to know as their Creator and Savior.
Sandro, Ben and Alberto
Oh
these boys have an understanding of who God is like few children of
that age that I have ever encountered. To say that they are rooted in
the Lord and His principles is an understatement, and does not do
justice to the hard work and dedication that has been invested in each
and every one of these boys. I heard little boys pray like they were
men, and I watched boys love the way that Christ called us to - with
actions as opposed to words. To hear the stories (what we would refer
to as "baggage") of where each of these precious boys came from would
break your heart. But they represent a story of hope and a beacon of
light in a dark dark environment. They are "fuerte" (strong) in Dios,
and He has placed a special anointing upon each and every one of them.
It is a beautiful image to see that wall surrounded orphanage in the
midst of Sipe Sipe - the alcohol capitol of Cochabamba. Yahweh has
established a hedge of thorns around that orphanage and mighty work in
being done in the training and raising up of warriors for the Kingdom.
Many of the boys are being faced with the reality of potentially having
to leave the BLC and go back to whatever home type environments might
exist for them.
I got to spend much of the last few days
ministering to two of the older boys. I dare to say I was doing the
ministering because truly it was me being ministered to directly by the
Lord. These boys had been hurt and scarred in a terrible way at an
early age. They were still trying to process the remnants of many
undeserved offenses. I could not speak enough Espanol in order to
communicate with them verbally, but it became clear that what they
needed and were seeking was not words. They wanted to feel the
strength of a man that would not hurt them. They wanted to be shown
affection without fear of attack. They wanted to be vulnerable without
apprehension. They wanted to be children and not have to act as
adults. They wanted affirmation that they were in fact strong and no
longer weak. They wanted to experience the love of a "father" for his
children. You see these boys were yearning for healing through the
avenue of touch - the same medium in which they had been violated, they
wanted to experience the healing hand of the Lord. Why God called on
me to be His hand of touch during that very week, I may never know.
But I do know this, He prepared me for those moments. I can assure you
I have never squeezed anyone tighter, or held anyone longer as I did
with these boys. I asked God for the words to say and He gave me words
of Life and Strength to declare boldly over "my" boys, until they were
repeating them firmly without fear. In fact they were repeating
"Fuerte" boldly over and over again with a big smile on their faces,
and I could tell they believed it, at least in that moment.
Something
changed within me this past New Years in Bolivia. I have learned that
when He calls and when He sends me, He will always equip me for the
mission He has planned. It is not about what I think needs to be done,
yet His will be done...
Silly dancing on New Year's Eve
An Excerpt from my Journal Entitled "The Power of Touch"
-The power of touch--> it can say so much especially when words are not easy (ie the Spanish language for me) -The power of touch--> it has the ability to bring healing to the hurting as it is the most direct transferrence of love between 2 beings -The power of touch--> it has the ability to inflict so much pain and sorrow and feelings of abandonment, rejection, and worthlessness
The boys of the Bolivian Life Center, many of them have been scarred by "touch" The enemy would want nothing more than for these boys to view touch as only a horrible and destructive sensation
THE REDEEMER wants to heal those wounds, restore what was lost, and return what was stolen - innocence and purity - to these deserving and desperate children
He RESTORES them through our hands, feet, fingers, and words of LIFE --> we are HIS TOUCH of HEALING, we are Called according to HIS purpose.
