Child of a King

Eyes as wide as saucers, that is what I noticed about this sweet boy the first time I met him. The language barrier was somehow bridged by his gentle spirit and his wide-eyed smile. This sweet young boy had been abandoned by his mother recently when she and her new husband moved to a new town and left him behind. A neighbour brought him to the gates of Eagles Wings Children’s Village and that is where I met him.

There are many things I don’t understand about this foreign land that has become my home. As I struggle to make sense of this new life around me, I am reminded that in every corner of the earth we all live with deep and broken places among us. 

I once heard a man who works with victims of sex trafficking in Cambodia say that even the very best trauma recovery and rehabilitation programs can at best cobble together a life that is functional. But only the redeeming love of Jesus can take a life full of brokenness and make it whole. Only He can restore Joy and Love in a life that has been broken and battered.  Because His wounds heal ours, His love erases shame, and reminds us we are children of a King. We hold incredible worth.

And so as I look at this precious boy, I see in him hope and a chance at new life. His excitement at learning to read, his streaming tears of joy at spending his very first Christmas morning with present under the tree, they remind me not to overlook the simple pleasures I so often take for granted. Perhaps as he grows and begins to understand his story a bit more he may have to cling onto that redeeming love, to cling hard and to believe that he has been chosen as the son of a King. To be made whole and to take hold of this new life he’s been given and to remember his identity and sense of self is made new at the foot of the cross.

One thing that excites me so much is seeing  the older children becoming leaders and building into the lives of others.

Learning to Read and Write

The reality of not enough

"Jjaja, these children, they are saying their mother left them four days ago and they do not know when she will be back. They have not eaten since then."

The oldest of these children was perhaps 11, the youngest just learning to walk. All I could think of was that I thought I was used to this by now, seeing the reality of people who have not enough. Clearly I am not, and maybe that is not such a bad thing. And I started to wonder what kind of mother could leave her 5 small children all by themselves for the better part of a week. But just as the thought entered my mind, I quickly realized that I don't know what it means to go hungry. Not even a little bit. And my feet are just leaving the starting blocks of starting a long term journey in a foreign culture I don't fully understand. I have been reminded more than a few times these past few weeks that this process is going to take more patience, understanding, and grace, than I alone posses. It is going to be difficult, but I am frequently reminded that the things in life that are worth fighting for are rarely easy. I stand here and I want to become a student of paradox, learning to embrace both the joy and the challenge.

I have been reminded in some small ways these past few days of how this foreign land is becoming home. I walk along the red dirt path and I hear a course of excited voices calling out "Auntie, how are you?"  We assemble in one room and they announce I am here to stay, at least for a few years, and the room erupts in applause, cheering, and screaming.

A young man comes up to me and says "Auntie, now we will see you lots. I am very happy because I know that you love us."

I don't know what kind of challenge the coming months or years may hold. Perhaps that is a good thing. But I know as I walk this journey, I am loved. And for now, that is enough.

Life in the Village is not easy for many of the children

Have you ever seen anyone so excited to get a bag of flour for Christmas?

A piece of candy is a precious gift

These boys were super excited about their toothbrushes