Kings and Queens
15 People were also bring babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, ''Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke 18: 15-17
Yesterday at just after 10o'clock in the morning the children arrived on the big bus singing and smiling with their new camp t-shirts on. This week could quite possibly be one of the greatest weeks of their lives. These children are from one of our local Kitwe communities, Amelew. This is the community that the team for the UK, has been visiting this past week. Thirty of our kids that are involved in the feeding program in that community get to come and spend the week with us at the Kichele farm. They have packed what they have and are ready to have fun. What I first thought when I was informed that there were only thirty precious children that got to come, was how unfair? Who makes that distinction between who gets to come and who doesn't? Out of the 100 children that Hands has identified as the most vulnerable in that particular community, who gets the burden of deciding who comes? I would never want that job. However after talking with one of the volunteers at hands, they mentioned that it is an age group that they chose, which makes it more fair. If there is not enough of that particular age category then they will chose the next closest age group.
These children were so happy to be able to come and spend the week with the team. This week is a week full of joy for these children. A week where they get to be the kids that they were created to be. Where they don't have to do chores, and don't have the burden of caring for their younger siblings even though they are a child themselves. A week full of joy, excitement, fun, and learning. Where we get to share with them stories from the bible and the love that God has for them. They get to do crafts, and play games, things that they probably never thought they would have the opportunity to experience. They get three meals a day and two snacks. They get a bed for a week and a secure lock on the door. A toothbrush, toothpaste, a towel, and lotion. We take for granted the life that we have and things that we have been blessed with. The chance to have a bed, a toothbrush, toothpaste, towels, lotions are nothing new for us and yet to have these things is a novelty and a luxury for them. They are on "vacation" from their everyday struggles, no burdens while they are here. They are kids and they have the freedom to be a child.
Despite all this excitement going on all around me, I can't help but feel sad. I feel sad for these children, knowing that at the end of this week they will have to go back to their homes. That on Saturday morning they will wake up on (most likely) a hard floor, and not have anything to eat. My hearts breaks for them. I have wondered yesterday and today what is going through the children's heads. Do they feel a bit of sadness because they know that at the end of this week they will have to go home to a life that is full of burdens, loss, sadness, and hunger or are they just grateful for this opportunity to come and just be? Many of the children that have come don't look like the children that you would expect to see in community. Probably on the morning they came, their guardians would've bathed them and dressed them in the finest clothes that they would have owned. They want the children to look their best. So I feel heartbroken, and overwhelmed with grief to know that at the end of this wonderful week these children will return back to their homes where the everyday struggles that they experience do not even begin to compare to the first world countries.
God has been teaching me that we are all kings and queens of his. Today with the children the team told the story of David and Goliath and how God gave David the courage to face his enemies, and how David ended up becoming King. The activity that children did that went along with the story was that they made crowns that they got to wear. WOW! What a way for God to once again show me his heart and how much he loves his sons and daughters, his kings and queens. They put jewels and stickers on their crown, put them on and went around showing each other what they had made. "Let the little children come to me, For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Luke 18: 16. The kingdom of God belongs to the children that we often deem as not worthy or unlovable because they are dirty, they smell, or they have a disease. However all that God sees is kings and queens of his that he loves with all of his heart and of which he knows each by name. The verse above express God's love for the children. He wants us to love like the children do. God wants us to jump into his open arms saying I love you completely and I'm willing to trust you with all of my heart. The children that I've met are so loving and trusting. They give themselves to you completely even when they know that you have the power and the ability to hurt them. What inhibits us from loving and living like a child. They have no fear. All they know is that God loves them and wants them as his children. Why can't we just free fall into his arms of love like a child would?
"You did not chose me, I chose you." John 15:16. This was the verse that the kids learned today. That they were each individually chosen by their heavenly Father for a reason and that he loves them. That is one of main themes of this week, is to impress upon the children how much and how deeply they are loved by God. In difficult circumstances it can be easy for us to question where God is and whether or not he loves, but we want them to know that he knows them. He knows the circumstances that they are living in, and he knows the burdens and the sadness that they carry and he has not forgotten nor will he ever forget them. He is a present Father that loves and will never abandon his children.
What God showed me today is that we are all kings and queens. I find it amazing how he uses little things like a children's activity to teach us something about his heart. I saw a glimpse of Gods heart today. His heart for the poor and that his heart grieves with everything that they go through on a daily basis. His heart rejoices when he hears his children laugh, play, and worship him. But most importantly I saw his kings and queens, wearing crowns of royalty because they have a Father that is unlike any Father that any of them will ever have. A Father that loves unconditionally and that gave his son as a sacrifice for us so that we may live with him forever. A Father that wants us to be apart of his royal family. He chooses all of us to become his kings and queens knowing every strand of hair on our heads (amazing). So as I go to bed after a long day of playing with children that make my heart swell with joy, I am at peace knowing that I have a Father that loves me more then I will ever be able to comprehend and that I am apart of Gods royal family.
Here are some pictures of the trip so far.... the two girls that are sitting with me in one of my pictures were my Anna's. They are absolutely beautiful and I love them to bits. Missing them tonight them and their cuddles.
Dad walking with one of the care workers that give their lives to serve God by taking care of the most vulnerable. Admire these men and women so much.
A typical meal for the children in the communities. The white stuff is Nshima ( type of porridge but thicken and no taste), the brown chicken looking stuff is actually soy chicken and apparently is really good, and the greens is a spinach mixture. There is Nshima in every meal because it is cheap and is filling. In Zambia as the protein they typically serve kapenta (small fish), dried fish ( big fish ), beans or soy meat. For these children in the communities that are able to be apart of the program this is the one meal that they get for the day.
What a gorgeous child of God.
" Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lire, praise him with timbrel and dancings, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Psalm 150: 3-6 A child of the most high praising the Lord with the drum
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