The Father's heart.

Often living in 3rd world countries, one can disconnect themselves when being in public places in the midst of so much need. You have your schedulle, things to do and a life to live. Why be concerned with people you don't even know? You go to the city market to buy pampers.. you have only 20 minutes and you pass by widows, street children and babies laying on the dirty floor with swolen heads and various desises. Their Mothers lay them there, I can imagine in hopes that you will accidently trip over them and see them suffering, being compelled to help. It's chaos in the market. Loads of people, you get bumped left and right, hit in the head with a sack of potatoes if your not paying attention to the "potato transporters" yelling for all to move out of the way. Left and right, up and down, I go out to do earrrands and people are hurting, hungry, and in need comfort from of our Savior. Many times I'm drawn to them in a fiery compassion to just hold their hand, tell them how much they are loved by our beautiful Father and if I have food, I pass that on too. Just stopping for the one, is life changing to them.. it's transforming.

I am coming to understand more the Father heart of God towards us and those who are in difficult situations alike. Jesus, loves people. He spent His time and energy on the earth for people. He gave his life... for people. I am challenged by this as I often get caught up in so many insignificant things... God has called us to open our ears to the cries of the poor and suffering; to love them, care for them and to lead them to the Father. It's as though I am having a paridigm shift within the priority section of my life. Understanding more, the purpose in which we were created for and the beauty of the Father's heart we all have within us if we are willing to unravel and shake off all the rubbish that has collected throughout the years.

Everytime we are in Buja, we always go to the same place to buy bread and see the same 10 - 20 street boys begging for food. I hold them, love them, encourage them to leave this life and return home and then pass on some food. Someone once asked me, "Why do you give them food, what if their not hungry and lying?" I replied, "if they weren't hungry, they would be playing like children do, and if it just so happens that they are full... well that's God's place to judge that; their just kids!". We would love to expand our children's village in the future to have a half way home to help street children get their lives back... if the Lord wills. At times, it takes just one person to beleive in them, grab hold of them and lead them on the right path in life with patients and persistency. After all, isn't that what God did with us when we were messed up and in need of his mercy and love. He drew us in, forgave us and embraced us as His own.

May God give us His heart, for His people! May He break us, shake us and show us what is important in this life. Let us follow the lead of Jesus. To love people, to spend our time and energy on people and to give our lives for people. To stop for the one, suffering on the side of the road. To lay our hands on them, pray for healing and deliverance and tell them it's going to be ok. To give out of what we have, because one day... it will all be but a vapor. Pictured above is our amazing staff for our 2 children's homes. Together we experiencing more of God's unfailing love towards us, daily embracing his heart through joy and pain in laboring for His Kingdom to come! Let us open our ears to the cries of the poor for this is indeed the Father's heart.