Spa Day

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Also He has put eternity in their hearts.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV)

Spa Day

One of the coolest things to watch on this mission is the way each team member has come with certain strengths and talents and we just fell into a beautiful rhythm, each one simply doing what they do best.  Some of the team members  have a passion for evangelism and they are so excited to simply walk the streets and share the love of Jesus. Some have a heart to see the sick healed and they could literally spend everyday at the hospitals.  For me, it is the children.  It doesn't seem to matter if they are the village kids, the garbage dump kids, or the little kids who live next to the XP center and come to watch us worship every morning.  I just love being with the children.  To me, they represent the hope of Cambodia. 

The border kids have been heavy on my heart.  These kids spend their days begging and at night they are usually drugged and they are often used for sex.  There is not much that can be done to change their environment because they will say they have parents...somewhere...and they do not appear to be held against their will.  They are simply street kids.  They don't go to school. Nobody watches them. 

Yesterday, a small team of us went to the border area.  We found an outside cafe and gathered about ten of these children.  We bought french fries, cokes and lots of fried rice.  They were so excited...especially the boys!  They were hungry.  Our goal was just to talk with them and to show them love.  We ask about their dreams and their interests and in the process, find out a lot about their daily lives.  Nobody ever hugs or shows interest in them other than to use them so this is truly a treat for them.  There were three little girls in the group, two of which we have become quite attached to over the past two weeks.  One of them we call John the Baptist because she is wildly unkept and beautifully strong.  She is apparently the ring leader of the border gang...all 50 pounds of her!  We had some nail polish, combs, pretty hair bows and jewelry we had made for them.  The girls were so excited to get their nails done and their hair braided. Thank God I remembered that french braid...it has been a few years!  We cleaned them up, did their hair and nails and gave them the jewelry.  Oh my gosh...they were so excited.  Little girls are little girls no matter where or  HOW they live.  You could tell they were getting a true glimpse of just how beautiful they are.  That truth often gets lost on the streets.

I think the Kingdom of Heaven really begins here.  God first loves us and, He invites us to come and fellowship with Him.  He takes us even covered with all of the dirt of our lives, and  cleans us up.  He feeds us and reminds us of the dreams that are hidden in our hearts.   He helps us to see the beauty in who he made us to be. 

 I love that today, he offered us an opportunity to partner with Him in this process.

Best spa day ever!

Love from the road,

Julie