As most of you probably know by now my heart is with the children. I love children. The wonder of watching a human being, a person created in the likeness of God, knit together by God, loved so much that Jesus knew what he would have to do to pay for our transgressions and still chose to come to this world as a servant, the wonder is seeing the world through their eyes. Everything is new, there is joy in simplicity, beauty in the imperfect. No wonder we must be as a child to enter into the gates of heaven.

Now I know that it is not all joy and laughter with children. They can be little terrors. Have you ever noticed how God has blessed those children that most try your patience with the sweetest smiles? I think it is a means of self preservation. I know it has kept them safe from me on several occasions. But no matter, I can hold a child in my arms and feel the honor of having been called to help these little ones and know that I am unworthy of such a great honor. It is only by Gods grace can I with confidence open my heart to as many children as he sends and know that my arms are being used by God to hold these precious treasures for a short time.

Having worked in Mololoa full time for over a year now and having been going that community for the last five years I have fallen head over heals in love with the children. I have seen babies only days old yawn and stretch in my arms. I have watched as little ones try those first steps, some with confidence and others with fear. Birthdays have come and gone with celebrations and sometimes eggs. I have seen little ones crying in fear because they are left alone so mom can work, screams of joy at getting a new toy from a group of visitors, losing the first baby tooth was pretty hard on me and the little boy. A phone call telling me Randy is bad, he hurt my head, then finding out the little one fell in his truck and got three stitches. Kisses, so many literally thousands, some on soft baby cheeks, dirty little boy cheeks, snotty running nose I don't feel good cheeks, chocolate thank you for the cake kisses, little open mouth toddler kisses, polite young girl kisses, embarrassed young boy kisses, and my favorite, faces covered in spaghetti kisses. I love these children.

I worry about a lot of things with these little ones. Will they eat today? Will they be dry when the rain is pouring down, are they warm? The bugs are bad, the rats are worse. They have no shoes and run around on the rocky ground, do they have to carry the water today? It is so heavy. Their clothes are so big they fall off, they are ripped and dirty. Matted hair with lice, worms in their bellies. Need doctors, need medication, there is no money. Their education or lack of education, there is no money for books and uniforms. So much too worry about. I am so thankful that I do not have to carry this burden alone. God loves these little ones more than I ever could. While my heart is full of love for them I know it is only a drop in the bucket to what God feels for them.

Yes, the worry is great, but the joy of having these guys in my life well there is no way to describe it. I have been blessed beyond measure. Sometimes you have to open yourself up to some heartache to experience great joy. By worrying if you will always get hurt you limit yourself. Christ knew that he would be rejected but he still came. So you feel like you are being called to step out on faith in a way that may leave you open to hurt or rejection? Lean not on your strength but Christs. He is strong enough to bear any burden we place upon him. Seek his will and he will guide you. If you allow the spirit of Christ within you to increase then your fears and worries will decrease. He know the plans he has for you, plans to prosper, not to harm, plans to give you a hope and a future.

What is in your future? I don't know, but what I do know is that if you open yourself up to God's will for you that you will never regret it. He is just waiting to bless you beyond your wildest dreams....So let him.