Being encouraged by encouraging

I truly know that all things I do I do through Him who strengthens me, as was mentioned yesterday when the group I was translating for was selected to go through the burn unit at the hospital when we were visiting. I knew a group was going in...I was in the back of my mind figuring out how it would not be mine...when it was already decided. We went in...I put my goofy hat on (literally and figuratively) and between us really made some kids smile that otherwise usually have little reason to do so...and shared the troubles of some mothers and grandmothers. There were also the children with bone infections, encephalitis, and more...just in our group. Others visited and shared amazing God testimonies with the kids with cancer ward (including one in the group who had undergone surgery for cancer exactly one year ago that day...and was able to encourage a child he met waiting to do the same thing.)

There were plenty of children with US names (Wendy, Bryan, Steven, Christian, Danny)...from all over the country (from places where you can only get there by boat or plane, from each direction on the compass for hours away) and unfortunately some there as little as a few days and many that had been there for months...one boy we met had been there for four months.

To say that it is hard to be there...would be an understatement. But we do not work by human effort...God gave us the strength...to reflect His glory to those we touched, and through them to this beautiful country and beyond.

The group leaves this morning after a debriefing of the entire week. The busyness of life here cranks up all the more however...I leave for Guatemala for a CIY (Christ in Youth) meeting the next day, and will not get back until Sunday...the day we pick up two different men coming for different short term projects (and return with a third from Guatemala) so that will undoubtedly make for some future updates here. Although groups have cancelled for June...God has His timing and I fear I will be just as occupied or more with other activities, errands, jobs, tasks...you name it. I pray there will be some time for soul rest at some point.