bedwetters and unconditional love

hey guys, i promised i’d keep you updated. so…two cool stories I wanted to share with you-

One took place two days ago at Asha House, my main ministry- a childrens home with 21 of the most precious children in the world. From 2:30-4pm they take naps. Most of the time I sleep with the girls, but i’ve had a nasty cough this week and didn’t want to make any of the kids sick. So I wandered to the boys room. I had noticed that little vikas, who’s five, never sleeps during nap time. Every once in a while I’ll come in and tell him to sleep like the other boys, but he’ll always shake his head and stay up. So yesterday I asked Simini, Victor’s wife, about it and she laughed and replied: “He is afraid to sleep because he will pee”. So I sat with Vikas in his bunk until four, and we played games and whispered praise songs and I forgot about feeling left out from nap time and for maybe the first time, Vikas wasn’t alone during that long hour and a half. And having been sick this week, it reminded me of moments at night when everyone else is asleep and I’m up coughing or feeling crummy and I’ll notice I’m not alone- Jesus stays up with me, and sometimes that is when I can hear His voice most clearly- in the quiet. Perhaps it is the only time when He can get us alone. Perhaps it is the only when we let Him. And we don’t have to feel ashamed for being sick, or being a bedwetter because the almighty God will sit with us in the dark and whisper His affection to us. I think I’ve found a new place to spend nap time.

Second is about a boy I met at the leper colony yesterday. We were making bead necklaces and bracelets and little Soonu needed a lap to sit on. Because I’ve had a some experience with entertaining little indian kids, I was pulling all of my tricks out of my rolled up sleeves. But Soonu seemed content witrh just sitting on my lap and holding my hands. Soon, when new interests, arose, he returned to the group and I found a sick leper man to keep company in the shade of another tree. As I sat there, I asked the Lord to show me how to really communicate His loveto these people and moments later a little face peeked around the tree at me. Little Soonu had looked for me and found me and once again found a place to sit in my lap. This time I just rocked him and held him and sang songs to him until he fell asleep. And I realized something: perhaps I get lost in concerns for the children, what I think they need. They need clothing, shoes, nourishing food, clean water, a bed, a real house, a fascinating person to play with, loving parents, etc. and in the midst of it Jesus will gently remind me: “That’s not why I sent you, Laura. Let me take care of those things- trust me, I’m a good father. What I need you to do is love them. Show them the affection they never receive, the affection i’m dying to give them, the affection I died to give them.” And during that peaceful time with Soonu, I remembered how the children came so freely and so unhindered to the arms of Christ. It wasn’t because He had a cool beard or because He knew the right hand games, it was because the children’s innocent eyes recognized in Christ the epitome of faithful, enduring, compassionate and never-failing love. They saw it, they needed it, and they knew that He would not deny them. And maybe that is why these precious children come so freely to us. Maybe that is why Soonu saught me out yesterday, because it is not WE who live, but CHRIST who lives in us. So I prayed a new prayer while Soonu slept in my lap- that i would be His hands and feet, and also His arms, His knees, His lap, His soothing, whispering voice, His heart.

Anyway, I’m doing okay, getting over my cold, and seeking my father’s heart in all I do while I am here. I love you guys, and keep me in your prayers.

until next time…

Laura