The Thing About Missionaries

Today we spent our morning at a special needs orphanage, which is always quite an experience. This certain orphanage is very well kept and the kids are extremely well behaved, well fed, and always clean. It is so different from the other orphanages we go to! The kids are so easy to play with because most of them are so sweet. As soon as we arrive we took all the kids to one area where we got to play with them for hours! 

After playing with them we offered to help feed the kids lunch. In this orphanage there are typically about 2 caretakers for 5 or 6 kids. That means the nurses will feed one kid while the others wait. So we were able to brighten their days even the tiniest bit by letting them eat earlier than they usually do! And to see that these kids were able to live in such a nice facility, with such loving nurses, was just one more reason to praise God!

We went to lunch and then took stuffed animals to pass out at the children’s hospital. This was yet another heart wrenching experience. To see children who know they are going to pass away, and who will never get to experience life, is the hardest thing. But I know God wants to bring them home. He has a reason for choosing to take them home so early, and we may never understand that reason. But the point is that it does not matter if we understand or not. The God over all things knows what they kids are feeling, He loves them more than even their own parents, and He is the only one in control.

On tougher days like that it is simply nice to remember that we are able to serve an awesome God who will not forsake any of us. I just have to keep that in mind! The thing about missionaries is that as badly as we want to understand things, as badly as we want to know the plan, as badly as we want to just save every life, in the end we know that none of this is worth anything without God. None of it would be done without God. All things are done by Him and for Him. We are just lucky enough to be His hands and feet!