It's Simple

Part of the focus of the mission trip to Swaziland was to connect with the kids.  On the first day we made a stop at a Care Point with a name that sounds like "bag of weenies".  I can't say it right...I get wrong every time.   The children were outside playing already.  As we approached, they came running to greet us.  It was cool because they were very excited to see us white Americans, like they knew we were coming.  They didn't know though.  They just get really excited when some comes to play with them.  


So that is exactly what we did, we played.  When working with kids like this relationships are very important.  They need to know that they can trust you.  We broke up into groups and some immediately went into the world of play.  


I stood there thinking about all the brand new toys and extra stuff that we had collected to bring to the children for such play times as this and I was a little frustrated.  If only I knew that we were going to see the kids today I could have brought some things to play with.  And that's when God nudged my heart and said, "Janelle, you just need to share what I have already given you...my Love."  In that reminder I also had a few tears.
  
I looked around and thought "what can I do?"  There was only one option.  I dropped to my knees at the edge of a dirt pit and started building a dirt mountain with a little bit of water and whole lot of dirt.  The next thing I know there were kids all around, joining in, adding some sticks, some water, some stones around the edges.  I was humbled in that dirty moment.  I met them right where they were, in their dirt, and engaged them.  God reminded me there that He meets me right in the middle of my dirt, and takes me where he wants me to play.  


God's love is really simple.  It's simple to give, simple to accept, simple to share.  We make it all too complicated.  I'll let you fill in your love blank here.  He has given it to us so freely, and we should so freely give it away.  God took me to Africa to reinforce this lesson, a love lesson in the middle of my dust.  It's simple, it's beautiful, just share some today.