Washed by the “water”

The A TEAM, that’s what ya call us (aka the agriculture team). While in Manzini we have been given the task to create a garden at a care point with squash, cucumbers, corn and more veggies. Throughout the week you could say we have had a few set backs: equipment breaking, rain, you name it. Personally for me, it had been a tough week, feeling almost worthless. 

While sitting under the tree at the care point, preschool must have just ended because right when I looked up there was a stampede of 5 years olds coming for us. Oh the joy in their eyes. We danced, we sang, we shared life together. Naturally I sat down because they wear me out and it’s my favorite way to pray for them (they literally race to sit in your lap). One little girl, dressed in all pink, with pants that were way 4x too big, was standing off in the corner so I asked her to come sit in my lap. Bouncing from leg to leg to make room for the others and whispering to me her name, age and what care point she was at, I slowly began to fall in love (sometimes it’s the quiet, shy ones that really capture my heart…)

Then the story gets rough – whenever it was time to go I lifted her up out of my lap and saw she had peed on herself…which most definitely meant she had peed on me. My first thought was, ‘how the heck did I not feel that???’ and to be honest, I’m still not sure. I think my reaction could have gone 2 ways – been completely disgusted and run away from the situation or embrace it, forgive her and go on loving her even more. Luckily, I instinctively chose the second. I could tell she was so embarrassed and afraid to say anything to me.. I just hugged her goodbye and told her I’d see her tomorrow. She almost seemed shocked at my reaction of not being angry with her. 

The longer I am over here, I am taught more and more everyday that I am called to love and embrace these kids regardless of their actions, their words and their works, just as Jesus has forgiven and unconditionally loved you and I. It doesn’t matter if we’ve betrayed Him, denied Him, or if what we bring to the table seems so terrible that we can’t even face it ourselves, you are forgiven by the one true King. Even when we think we are the hardest people to love, you’d be surprised to know that you’re the one God’s chasing after – His one lost sheep that has strayed from the path (Matthew 18:12-14) or the clay pot that has been cracked and beaten that is dying to be remolded into something beautiful (2 Corinthians 4:8-18). 

Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with The Lord. He is the only one who can truly break you free from the chains of this world and the evil one. Is there something in your life from today or from your past that has made you afraid to face The Lord and be honest with him?

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God had called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14 That coming from Paul who formerly persecuted Christians but was transformed by God only reassures me how big God’s grace is for me.

I encourage you to pray through whatever you may be battling and just giving it up to Him, allowing Him to forgive you, tell you it’s okay and to love you even more than you thought possible – even if you do feel like you just had an accident all over yourself.