What Love Looks Like...

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

 

While at the orphanage we got so many glimpses of what love truly looks like and they were beyond breath-taking. This particular day we hopped in a van and headed out to help serve the kids in the neighboring village. We literally were along for the ride....and I wished so much that my broken Spanish was better, there was so much that I wanted to ask, so much I wished I could know! This time however, it was such an honor to watch and pray.

Twice a week the orphanage staff go out in vans as an outreach to the children in Vicente Guerro.

They drove and drove down dusty roads with a megaphone announcing that it was time for Children's Church and to bring a cup or container.

You see, we had a giant bucket full of milk and a big jar of peanut butter. As much as these kids need to learn about God's love, their bodies need food, protein and nutrients just as much. They said this may be the only meal some children would have that day.

It was amazing to see the children come running carrying whatever they could find to hold that milk and peanut butter. Some had cups, others bowls.

One girl had a Sprite bottle she had picked up off the side of the road.

We pulled up to this building

and started to get settled in...

As the kids sat down, the leaders began to teach. I tried to follow along and translate for Parker & Ravenna.

They taught The Story of the Three Trees and I held back tears because it is a favorite back at our house too!

Then, as the kids left, they lined up to get their containers filled and their scoop of peanut butter along with hugs and encouragement from the staff.

and I couldn't help but see the face of God as we watched.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:35-40