This past Saturday will be hard for me to put into words but just hang with me as I try. I have a love for children and God's people that is deep in my heart. This is why it is so hard for me to describe my feelings and thoughts from this past Saturday.
Well, let me start by telling you where I went. On Tuesday, Steve a organizer and director of various ministries came and spoke at chapel about different ministries that needed volunteers. One of the ministries really touched my heart. He talked about having an opportunity to work with kids from a poor area in San Jose. Then he described the children and they really touched my heart because they reminded me of my Junior Quest kids. I immediately signed up that day to help and on Saturday I was working with the kids, but the Lord touched my heart in ways I didn't plan.
I have seen poverty before but I am not sure why I didn't expect it to affect me so much again. Seeing pain and suffering is never easy and my heart immediately broke for those who are suffering in Valle del Sol. When we first pulled up I expected the area to be rough from the things people had warned me about but I didn't expect everything to be so evident.
The houses in the area are not like where I live. The houses there where made with whatever they could find some scrap wood for siding and a few pieces of tin for a roof. Waste flowed down the sides of the road and if you looked inside one of the one room houses you could find as many as 10 people living inside.
I walked around with Horacion's wife going door to door inviting the children to come to the church, which is also one room about the size of an average American living room with a small patio attached. Behind the patio there is a small patch of land but it is covered in garbage and animal waste.
But beyond all of those things what I saw was hurting people. I saw families who immigrated from other countries and who have nothing. I saw mothers and fathers struggling to provide for their children. I saw children longing to play and have fun. I saw God in those little faces as they sang worship songs and listened to their Bible lessons. They were longing for something more. They are longing for love, a love that I know can only come from our Heavenly Father.
We had so much fun playing games and coloring. The ministry doesn't have much maybe a few books, some candy, a cd player, a worship cd, some papers that the director wrote the lyrics on, and some chairs and a few benches. But the kids don't care they just want to learn and play. Here education is important so the children just soak up everything they are taught. That is why it is so important that they are taught the right things.
I was there for only one day but I fell in love. These kids are so precious and I just want to reach out to them with God's wisdom and guidance leading the way. The kids range from 2 to 13 and there are about 50 of them, but there are so many more in the community. There are so many families that want help and that are trying to better their lives the best way they know how.
I have seen some things there that I have never seen in my life up close and it scared me. It scared me not for my safety but for the safety of the children and their lives. I am just really struck with compassion and love for these children. There is a need there and I know God can use me in some way to help that is why I am planning on going back every Saturday. Today, the director/organizer asked me if I would get more involved by helping out with some more things and going to some meetings, and there is nothing else that I would love to do more. I can't wait for next Saturday to come.
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