Some thoughts from my trip

Okay I'll try to write down some of my thoughts from my trip.

I love looking back at the pictures, because it just reminds me about how faithful God is. I was so discouraged when I left, because I was feeling miserable and I didn't get to spend as much time with the kids as I wanted to. I felt like everyone on my team had many more stories to tell or just had more time with the kids. Now in some ways all of that is true, but God has reminded me through the pictures that I did get to spend time with the kids, I was there for the big events and I was able to bond with my teammates.

I highly recommend reading the show hope blog. There are some posts from the trip up there, one of which I wrote. Although, it's not a very good post at all. Really wordy, oh well. I take comfort in the fact that not many people know who I am. :) But we were the first of many teams going to Maria's this summer and they keep updating on what's going on over there. It's so encouraging to read.

Right now I'm trying to process what do I do from here. I have seen something that I never thought I would see first hand, at least not before I actually adopted a child. I have seen the orphan crisis first hand, I have hugged, kissed and played with children that have no earthly family.

Of course the main thing is prayer. The greatest need these kids have is a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. I have to remember that, it's so easy to think that the most important thing these kids need is a loving family. It's also easy to lump all these kids into one category. But they all have individual needs just like everybody else. What's best for one kid might not be what's best for the another.

But just because we can't lump these kids all into one category doesn't mean that we sit by and do nothing. We are all called in James 1:27 to care for the orphans and widows. It could be through finances, prayer, short term trips, long term trips, foster care or adopting. I'm sure there are other things we could do as well. And even though I am giving some of my finances but for me personally that's not enough. I don't know if I can do much more right now, maybe I should go to school to become a social worker. I don't know, but it's something I'm praying about.

I can't forget the faces of these kids, they are permanently etched in my memory. Not only the kids at Maria's but also at the state run orphanage we went to.

When I get pictures online I'll share more stories, but for now this is what I'm thinking about.