A little light.

We stood in the open school building. A strong breeze blew through the school as everyone sang with one voice.

"Jèzu mandè ou briyè pou li kotè ou yè

Tout krètiin, bay lumiè tou patou;

Briyè nan fanmi ou, nan travay ou, kotè ou yè

Briyè pou Jèzu kotè ou yè "

Jesus asks you to shine for him where you are

all Christians, give light everywhere 

Shine in your family, in your work, where you are

Shine for Jesus where you are. 

Voices were all raised as one during our weekly Friday chapel service, before our kids left to be reunited with their families for two weeks. They are going with parents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and cousins. People they may have not seen in almost ten years. Kids Alive believes in family reunification. The reality is when these kids turn 22, they will go and live with whatever family they have. This is the first year that they will get the opportunity to spend time with that family over the summer. 

All of our kids are thrilled to go. I was surprised when speaking to them that every single kid I spoke to was over the moon about seeing their family. This is what we should be aiming for. Reunification, mending old wounds, and rekindling old ties are all things of the Lord. 

The song above was moving to sing the day before they left for their families because often times Kids Alive can be a bit of a sanctuary. You come off the dusty, hectic, full streets of the city into a bit of an oasis when you enter Kids Alive. It has a feeling of tranquility, isolation, relaxation and calmness that most places in Haiti don't necessarily have. Kids Alive is full of trees, greenery, children playing, laughter and love. But the reality is every child that comes into this children's village will eventually return to those hectic, bustling, dusty Haitian roads again. Quite honestly it would be a disservice to them to keep them in this oasis all the time. There are lessons that can only be learned on those dusty roads. There are challenges to be conquered and things the Lord will show us. 

It is easier to be a Christian when you are among likeminded people. It is easier to follow the Lord when that is the norm. We need to shine our love for Christ when we are with likeminded people, as well as times when we may be the only light in the darkness. If nothing else is accomplished in these two weeks that our kids spend at home, I know one thing that will be. There will be 85 more lights for Christ out in the communities in Haiti. There will be 85 florescent bright souls singing for the Lord. There will be 85 hearts lit with the love that the Lord has shown them, and others will see that too. They will see the love that just radiates out of these kids. They will see the caring, honest, sweet, loving souls that they are- it would be impossible not to. 

Our kids have been gone for a week so far, they return on July 1st. I personally cannot wait to hear of their time. Hear their stories, hear their challenges, and hear their ways they saw God. I want to hear of the darkness they experienced because in the darkness it only takes one little flicker in to bring in the light. I want to see how God used them to light up their communities, light up their families, light up the darkness that is often times so heavy throughout this country. 

I can't wait to see those little lights come home. I can't wait to squeeze them in my arms. But I sure am happy the Lord lent them to their families these two weeks to spread a little light in this dark dark world.