Take joy my king

You know that song that goes, “I love you Lord and I lift my voice to worship you, Oh my soul, rejoice. Take joy my King in what you hear, let it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.” The past two days that is what I have heard in my ears. My mother is a choir director and as a child in her choirs we would sing this sweet simple song. ‘Simplicity’ seems to be the word I hear through all that we have been doing. Simple acts of kindness. Simple joy. Simple love. Yesterday we spent the day at the center. We went to church with the children in the morning and listened to Pastor Dan (the orphanage pastor) deliver a message to the kids and caretakers. We watched and listened as the children sang their hearts out and spoke their prayers aloud. Uninhibited worship. Offering all that they are to God and allowing their souls to rejoice. It seems so simple to lift our praise to the God who created the universe. But I don’t think I do that. But…it’s so simple…
Then, we organized all of the presents each group had collected for the children. Each child received a backpack and outfit. The boys received 5 toy cars and the girls received a doll, necklace and bracelet. Each team member is responsible for 4-5 children and we were able to pick out and collect our children’s gifts and give them to them. It was like Christmas. I’m not a parent, but I got a glimpse of how it must feel on Christmas night after you’ve carefully picked out gifts for your child and you take a picture of them all so neatly placed out before the kids come barreling in to tear in to them. What a simple joy!
At the end of today we had a Carnival Day for the kids, as well! The kids rotated from game to game: hula-hooping, face-painting, nail painting, football, bowling, golf and much more. For each game they won a certain amount of money and then could buy prizes at our prize store! Simple games, simple fun, which fostered joy in the hearts of each child!
One story I would like to share is about one of our team members, Hailey. She has 8 children that she sponsors here at the center. The last time she traveled to Sierra Leone she felt a very special maternal connection to these 8 siblings. As we were collecting our items for the kids I looked over and watched as she carefully picked out gifts for her 7 boys and 1 girl. It was more than beautiful watching her pick out those gifts with such an obvious joy and compassion for those children. It was simple. But it was deep unending love she was exhibiting. It’s hard not to show that type of love to these kids, but do I show it to the people in my life back home?
For the rest of the afternoon we played with the children as they opened their gifts and helped them pick out a new pair of flip-flops. These children take so much pride in their belongings. It makes sense though. You cherish what you have once you’ve had nothing. The simple act of giving them a shirt lights up their hearts more than you can imagine. Gift Giving. Another simple way to say…I care about you…I take notice of you.
This morning we went in to the community around the center to families who we know of that are in great need. We split up into groups and went with a translator to these houses and met the mothers and children. While with them we were able to offer a small monetary gift in TRS’ name and ask if we could pray for them. It seems so simple to be able to walk up to someone you see in need and offer them a few dollars and feel like you some how deserve a medal for your good deed. One of our team members, Amy Coggin (who is also on her second trip), spoke some incredible words while we were out. We had just left a home and were traveling to the next when she began to cry at and said, “It seems so self-righteous of us…we have so much and yet I feel like we’re just throwing them scraps.” Her heart was breaking. She spoke beautifully the words my heartbreaks for too. Lori, another team member said, “You’re placing words on what many of the team is probably feeling but don’t know how to express yet.” But, you know…we have to do something. We can’t just see and not do something. And as I said before…a relationship starts with something small and as you build trust those simple acts grow and foster something bigger, something deeper. Amy had said a prayer just moments before where she said, “God help these people to know how much you love them and how special they are. Help them to know that we love them.” Simple words, right? But more than important for us to hear and hold true!
It does feel self-righteous to just go and give a bit of money and turn around and go home and live our lavish, privileged lives. But, I have to believe that being broken to this need in front of us has to start somewhere. It starts with something simple. It starts with giving someone a small token of our love for them as a human being; introducing yourself and saying “You matter to me. I will fight for you.” If we don’t, who will?

Simply Choosing to Love,
Regina