healing rain.

"I suppose that since most of our hurts come through relationships so will our healing." -The Shack.

I've only lived here a week so far but most kids know my name and I'm starting to link faces to names, names to stories and stories to wounds.

Last night was the first Young Life club I attended.
They spoke about this Jesus guy and how He showed compassion to a woman caught in the act.
Everyone was curious as to what Jesus actually wrote in the sand before He spoke to her accusers. And I bet as He leaned down to write in the sand beside the naked ashamed woman He wrote: watch this.
And with that then turned and completely blew everyone away showing her Love and Compassion.

After that we all went to Taco Bueno. As we were in the parking lot talking with a few kids it started to down pour. They all started to run inside when myself and another girl stayed out there running around playing.
When everyone saw what we were doing they all came back out!
There was about 20 kids all together out there totally soaked.
It was so fun!

After the rain calmed down and everyone was getting freezing cold we went inside and had some awesome tacos.
But as I was sitting there watching all the kids tell their stories of what happened in the rain and who fell in what puddle and that they drove their parents car tonight and will be killed when they take it home totally wet.. I thought of something.

This is ministry.

Living life with these kids. Everyday in and out building relationships with the broken and hurting. The kids who would never tell you what's actually going on at home but you can see it in their eyes. The kids who don't want to be thrown a bible story but just listened to.
They want to be loved but they would never tell you that.
They just want someone to come along side of them and live life.
I believe that's where we're here to do.
When the kids experience heartache and embarrassment we turn to them and say: hey watch this. As we show them acceptance and mercy & how Jesus can really change things.
If we aren't showing it to them, who is?

I heard it said somewhere that we are suppose to hold our hands against the bleeding wounds of the world.
It's a messy job but the healing to come is worth it.

love like it's worth the pain.

..