Pour that love

When people ask me what my job here entails I usually end up giggling to myself before I can give a response. I have my tasks, my communications work and my work in the school but thats not where I feel like my ministry truly is. Those tasks are very fulfilling to the bigger purpose of Kids Alive and I feel they make a difference; but my heart, my calling and my passions are in the relationships. That can make for a hard explanation because it is difficult to explain relationship building. I spend time with the high schoolers that on the surface looks superficial. However I am very deliberate in my relationships. I am hoping to form relationships that are strong, lasting and built on foundations of respect.
As at-risk youth and orphans our kids can, understandably, have a lot of trust issues. I am very intentionally trying to be someone that they know will be there for them no matter what. I want to build bonds of mutual respect, trust and unconditional love.
Now that all sounds great but how is this done? It is done in the hand holding, in the fifth round of UNO, in the sharing of a meal, in the hours spent discussing music, in the smiles exchanged over coloring pages, and in the rainy day movie marathons. The only way to really prove to a child that you will always be there, is by actually doing just that. Being there. When they are sad, when they are grumpy, when they are excited, when they are silly and when they are confused. Always being there.
I feel like I have finally built these bonds with many of our kids, and some of our parents and some people out in the community where I live. People know that they can depend on me, people know I will do whatever I can to help them, people know that I love them and most importantly they see that Jesus loves them.
It is because of the time that has been put in day to day that when a problem arises they know they have someone to talk to. It is impossible to expect that a child will feel comfortable talking to someone in a time of hardship that wouldn't give them the time of day in times of rejoicing. It is because I am there in the fun times that allows me to be there in the hard times, and visa versa.
It has been a year in the making but I am finally realizing that it doesn't necessarily take a mountain of paperwork, finished newsletters, accomplished to-do lists to show productivity in a ministry. It takes relationships. It takes respecting others, giving them your time and pouring the love Jesus pours into you back into others. I love what God sent me here to do. It can feel unproductive at times, and I can feel like I am not working hard enough. It really takes going back to God and reassessing what He wants me doing here. It is the relationships with Haitians that God is fostering here. It is the love, the respect, the mutual understanding and then the support systems that are created.
God has a perfect plan and gives us exactly what we need, this year has been a constant reflection of that. If I have learned anything this year, it has been to not over think, be in the moment and don't underestimate what God will use a connection for. Relate to others, love others, embrace others and God will use this for greatness.



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