Over the summer I've experienced countless moments like this, and each have reminded me of how great our God is, and what a blessing it is to be alive. In my opinion, there is no greater lesson to be learned. And in spite of all the other challenges, difficulties, emotions, and circumstances I've encountered, I'm so glad to be here; so humbled by my summer, and so excited about life.
When I think about it, I realize that God has revealed Himself to me in such simple ways while living here. At times, so much so that I'm dumbstruck. Because while I have faith that He could DO more to show Himself, I'm humbled and my spirit is quieted when, instead of speaking through a "booming voice" from heaven, He speaks through a spontaneous hug from a child or a refreshing breeze.
There's a new kind of joy that comes from learning this, I've found. It's the kind of joy where teeter-tottering, and star-gazing, and being dirty, and finding sea shells, and playing dress-up, and singing in the shower, and Saturday night puppet shows, are elevated above the satisfaction of earning money, or owning things, or completing check-lists, or being "important". It's the kind of joy that bubbles up when you hear kids laugh, and it continues to grow when you find yourself laughing with them.
A perfect example of this happened one afternoon last week. With the end of our summer VBS program, most of the interns had returned to the United States and we were left with a very small team of people. It was hard to see them go, as I had invested in relationships and experienced so much with my new friends! With so few people left, it was a fairly laid-back week, and we had a lot more "unstructured" time. It was a challenge to think up activities for the kids (and new volunteers)! Brooke, a remaining intern, suggested we have a "fashion show" for the girls - complete with costumes, music, and a runway. I wasn't sure how, exactly, this was going to work (or translate), but I surely didn't have any other ideas. So, we ran with it. And with a suitcase full of random of fabric pieces, a few old cardboard New Year's Eve hats, some donated clothes and a whole lot of imagination, we pulled off our first annual costume party/fashion show! :)
Needless to say, we had SO much fun!! (Even though Sarah doesn't look like it in this picture, she did too!) Not only did the girls dress up, but some of the boys joined in - along with some of the women who work at the orphanage! We paraded around the comedor (dining room), danced, laughed, took pictures, and were sweaty all afternoon!! I don't think I've ever had so much fun being silly - and watching women twice my age join in! No language barrier could stop us. :)
It's during moments like these when I realize that this kind of joy is not "Dominican Republic" specific. I don't have to travel all the way around the world to play dress up. I don't have to go to a different country to see a beautiful sunset. I don't have to learn a different language to share the love of Jesus with His people. This kind of joy just comes from being alive. In Christ. Anywhere. It comes from knowing that you are free to experience life because Jesus took your punishment when He died on the cross.
And even though I don't need to be anywhere other than my own living room in order to accept this, or experience it, what an HONOR it is to know that He allows me to travel; that He provides ways for me to go and experience what I probably wouldn't take the time to experience in Michigan.
In the book of Matthew (in the Bible) Jesus says that in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, one must be like a little child. And, like a child, I think one must live simply, and love simply in order to escape the lies and snares of our world; in order to enter into God's kingdom of peace and joy. And after experiencing a taste of the freedom that comes from living in the moment and enjoying the simple life; I think I know what He's talking about now, and I agree.
And I never want to grow up...
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