For I was hungry...

Excitement flooded my heart this morning knowing that today I was going to see sweet Katherine. It was going to have to wait just a little bit as we made a stop at the market this morning. After our quick stop, we headed off to Cipi. This was our second time here this week. The guys continued to work on the area outside of the teen mom section. They hauled who knows how many wheel barrels and buckets of gravel to the back patio. They definitely worked very hard to make this place a peaceful, useable area for the moms to sit with their children.

The ladies got to spend some quality time with the teenage girls today, mostly by tie dying t-shirts. When I walked into the room where the teenage girls hang out, I got tackled with the best hug from behind. As I turned around, I saw this little face looking up at me with the biggest smile on her face. It was Katherine. We both can recognize a few words that each other speaks, but when you have this little girl wrapped around your waist with a smile that stretches ear to ear is enough to capture your heart. Or so I thought. Then those words left her mouth and entered my ears. "I love you." Yep. I had to hold it together. All I could do was to hang on to her a little bit longer. We may not have understood everything that came out of each other's mouths, but we sure did love being around each other. She invited me to sit with her at lunch, where there was much laughter. She followed me until she had to leave.
As we finished up t-shirts, I grabbed my guitar to worship. As soon as I opened my case, I had a young lady next to me. She asked me if she could sing with me. "Yes, please!" As we sat there and found songs she knew, I was able to share with her how much God wanted to be her Father that will embrace her and love on her. I got to tell her that He longs to have such an intimate relationship with her that she could sit in His lap and hear Him breathe. Jenny, Lilly, and Virginia had taken my song list and found some songs that the girls would know in Spanish. So, they gathered some girls around and we sang to the Lord. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard.
I feel so blessed to be in this place. A place where I get to encourage, feed, pray, and love on His children. Each place we have been, we have gotten the chance to pray for His children. Ones that are hurting, sick, lonely, depressed, the list goes on. I'm truly honored that God choose me to be a part of these people's lives.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."
Matthew 26:35-40