Poverty though... especially during the holidays is... so hard to fully comprehend with our first world brains and our misconceptions and when you do have a piece of it it's hard to explain as your heart just aches. That's kind of where I am right now. Achy.
As someone put "people who usually wouldn't do bad things are more likely to at Christmas". I love each of these children at the preschool and the fact that some of them; some of them have been hurt and mistreated, some on a regular basis just leaves me... wondering... praying... aching. Wondering what more I can do, how I can help, how to show more love, how to help guide and teach this child about Jesus.... what to do. And I want so badly to help, to move, to love, to share right now that I get tangled in my thoughts and my heart becomes weary as the possibilities are endless and I simply don't. know.
But God does.
As I lay wide awake, praying and hoping I'd drift off to sleep I felt that I needed to read a chapter in the book I'm reading: Traveling Light by: Max Lucado. I picked up my kindle and began reading chapter 5; the title of the chapter was: I Will Give You Rest. He talks about insomnia and how it affects 70 million Americans and then about the one other living creature that has the same problem; can you guess what it is? It's sheep.
"For sheep to sleep things have to be just right. No predators. No tension in the flock. No bugs in the are. No hunger in the belly. Everything has to be just so.
Unfortunately, sheep cannot find safe pasture, nor can they spray insecticide, deal with the frictions or find food. They need help. They need a shepherd to "lead them" to help them "lie down in green pastures." Without a shepherd they can't rest. Without a shepherd, neither can we." ~ Max Lucado
"The Lord is my shepherd
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me by still waters."
Psalm 23:2
In Judea the hills were not thriving with fresh green shoots of grass for the sheep to graze on, the shepherd had to go and clear away the rocks, tear out the stumps and burn the brush, irrigate and cultivate the land for his sheep. This is a shepherds job description. And Jesus did this for us in coming as a newborn baby, living a perfect live and dying on the cross.
With his own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul. He tore out the thorny underbrush of condemnation. He pried loose the huge boulders of sin. In their place he planted seeds of grace and dug ponds of mercy. And he invites us to rest there.
Can't you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of a shepherd when, with his work completed, he sees his sheep rest in the tender grass?
Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of God when we do the same? His pasture is a gift to us." Max Lucado
What peace and love just flooded my heart when I read these words. The Lord is my shepherd and this is the pasture that he has brought me to and he will guide me where I need to be, what I need to say and what I need to do. But, I need to rest in His arms and under His watchful eye. He gives me the strength for each and every day, to pour out love on these children, to further His kingdom and to give my all.
Christmas is a reason to smile and to celebrate and we were able to give joy to these kids in this Christmas season. We shared the story of His coming all this past week and had the opportunity and the blessing to pour out even more love on these kids as we handmade cards and made coloring books and put together gifts for all of them. Though we're in the midst of a dark cloud God gives us the opportunity to give and to shine and though we feel poured out and tired there is this... spark; this light of God that envelopes us and touches our hearts and I'm so honored to give what I can to this country, to this family, to these people and to these children.
(Some of you have been wondering how you can bless and give to MCM or to me personally this Christmas and so I added it to the end of this for y'all)
How can you give to Marantha Children's Ministries?
#1. Money - Sponsor one or more of our preschoolers at: mcmhaiti.org
#2. Prayer - for safety, wisdom, sponsorship, encouragement
#3. Time - Come and serve on a team for a week in the preschool or blessing the Tlucek family
How can you give to me personally?
#1. Money - sponsor me with a monthly donation or if you want it to be more personal (you know who you are and here is your answer) gift cards are always appreciated: Amazon, Itunes, Walmart, Visa, Burlington Coat Factory, Shutterfly
#2, Prayer - for safety, wisdom, sponsorship, encouragement
#3. Time - Come and serve or if that is not possible I love hearing from you guys through emails, letters and skype
I will be flying home this Saturday to spend Christmas in Kansas so prayers for a safe flight and peace would be appreciated as flying during the holidays isn't always easy.
Thank you all for your support and all the many gifts you have blessed me with in so many different ways. I wish you a very Merry Christmas, that you are drawn closer to His heart and that wherever you give and whatever you give it would bless youChrr heart and all the glory is directed to God.
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