You are Love on display for all to see...

There are no words to explain to you what I saw today. You can only experience it. Truly.
We started our day out with another great devotional and some worship and left for our first stop, a community center. We got there and entered a court yard and little boys all ran up to hug us! Saying Hola!

The patio as we were welcomed by the kids!

We split up into our groups and had a wonderful time with the kids! I was playing with some of them in a class room, and got so many hugs and kisses on the cheek... it was an overwhelming feeling of love!

Once it got to the time for the kids to get new shoes I grabed some of them and started washing their feet, David was first, then Herman, and Darsi, and Edgar. They were all adorable! I have taken 6 years of spanish, but the confidence in my speaking gets in the way sometimes. So on our way there I prayed that I would have confidence and I would have GREAT conversation with these little ones! As I cleaned their feet, I looked up at them and asked them if they knew why I was cleaning their feet... and then I told them it was because Jesus cleaned his best friends feet, the disciples!... all in spanish, with out thinking.... and I have to say... I was proud of myself... but at the same time... I knew it wasnt me. That was God.

Edgar!!! What a cutie!

Sweet little Kensy!

I have had a huge conviction on my heart to make sure that each of these little girls know that they are Princesses of the most high God! and I have been able to effectively communicate that.... it felt amazing to see the smiles on their faces after that.

A few things that really stuck out at this stop...
1. One little boy, David, came up to me and hugged me big!!! and gave me a kiss on the cheek, and looked at me and said "Tu eres especial, Te Amo!" (You are special, I love you) and looked over at my new friend, Nate O. from MikesChair, and said "Tu tambien, tu eres muy especial!" (You too, you are very special!)
No duh, that made my day. its amazing how when you show a little love, you get a lot in return! <3

David!

2. Darsi, was a very quiet beautiful little girl. She stuck with me, and as I got her a pair of shoes, she told me she had 10 brothers, and 7 sisters... Wow! and I told her she was a princess, and she looked at me and said no and shook her head. For a minute was was so confused... and I looked at her and told her, Yes!! You deserve a crown, you are a princess because you are the daughter of God! and he Loves you!
Right away she had a smile on her face from ear to ear! What a sweet little girl!

Darsi, before crafts =)

3. The leader of the group center asked to pray for us before we left... and again, 6 years of spanish, so I could understand most of it. my favorite part was when he said "and thank you thank you thank you for placing the seed in their hearts to come here, to be used by you... to bless us!" I started crying just in gratitude to the call that God has given me!

Just other random shots!

This ADORABLE little one, Lindsay, found a coloring book that had a blonde princess on it, and it said  Princess Chloe! She was so excited for this picture!!!

Leaving and passing out the word, in Espanol!

Handsome little guy and his momma!

Once we left there we went to lunch, then traveled to our next stop.
This stop was a government orphanage. Since yesterday, our trip leaders, Carmen, and the boys have been trying to prepare us for what we were going to see. This, is the worst of the worst. We were told that the kids are almost like caged animals, lice is rampant, ring worm in their scalp, Sores, and they have terrible living conditions. For these kids it is survival of the fittest, and they have been known for pick pocketing. So we didn't take anything in. Took off all jewelry, no cameras.... nothing. So unfortunately I cant even share a picture to help explain my story.

As I walked up to this place, it truly looked like a prison. It was a very intimidating scene. Once inside we split up into our teams and went to our rooms, we were waiting to go in, and our translator looked at us and said "Listen close, this is the 'special needs' room... so don't be scared, but Do be careful..." and right then I said to myself "... oh... great... awesome.... lovely..."I was not too excited about that. I knew the conditions were already bad but adding that on top of it was even worse... so I said a quick prayer for a calm spirit. I walked in and the very first thing that happened to me is a little boy ran up to me, climbed up me, like i was a tree... and pulled my hair SO hard... it still kinda hurts to be honest! and again being negative I thought "great, this is how my next two hours are going to be...." and I looked across the room, and a little girl no older than 6 was staring at me with a huge smile! I felt like that was God smiling telling me, Look... serving my people is not always an easy task... but I love you, I will give you the tools to do this, stay calm!

I started to walk towards her and asked what her name was, Elsa, after that, it was a wrap... I WANTED TO TAKE HER HOME WITH ME! A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.!
as we got everyone shoes there wasn't a pair small enough for her, so i told her to hang on, and I had to go search, unsuccessful I went back and she started crying... saying that she was the only one without shoes. Now there was NO way I was not going to get this little girl her shoes, I went and searched again, found a pair that was still 2 sizes too big, but she was soooo so happy! (she can grow into them!)
Meanwhile getting shoes for everyone else, was organized chaos. Keep in mind these kids didn't have any shoes. The bottoms of their feet were black, and crusted with dirt, so my cleaning process took a little longer!

The kids in our room, definitely had some challenges... they were all sweet, but it was still a little scary. There was one little boy in particular, his left eye was half closed, and glazed over, and he was drooling, with sores, and open wounds all over his body. Again, being completely transparent with you I tried to avoid him, because I was a little scared, but once again God was going to use me to be Jesus with skin on! So what happens....
Someone hands me his shoes and asks me to give them to him. So, I took a breath! and Got some wipes to clean his feet, I sat down and cleaned his feet and started praying over him. Touching his sores on his arms, and legs I prayed healing over this little boy. It didn't phase me that I probably shouldn't be touching that, just for sanitary reasons.... but I realized that God was using me... that wasn't me! He smiled, he was so happy to have shoes! And I was so happy to see his joy, and to have the opportunity to be Jesus with skin on!

Then it was time for music! Elsa still attached to my hip sat in my lap as the boys played... and yet AGAIN when we got to the part in "open the eyes of my heart" that says Holy Holy Holy or Santo Santo Santo, Elsa looked at me and said that her mothers name is Santas (meaning holy) I started tearing up. Sometimes, if a family doesn't have enough money to take care of their kids they have to send them to the orphanages... and obviously this is exactly what had happened to her. No one wants to have to do that to their children. What a terrible thought. She brushed the thoughts off and grabbed on to me as I rocked her back and forth.

The rest of the time I was there I met another beautiful girl, and she was 17. As I left, I told her I would be praying for her when I got home, and I will pray that God will open the doors in her life so she can be the true princess that she is! She was so receptive, and thankful! I embraced her as if she was part of my family, and she kissed me on the cheek. I can only pray that she did feel Gods love through us, and that one day she will feel tangible, earthly love. Because she deserves it.

I gave my last few hugs, and received a lot of love in return... I turned away and started to walk to the front door, I just stared weeping thinking about these children's circumstances and feeling broken. God truly Broke my heart for what Breaks his today! My desire is that God will leave a portion of that brokenness, and to stamp it on my heart so it will never leave me, and that I will never be content in my everyday life.

You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love 
On display for all to see
You are light, You are light 
When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope
You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy 
You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life, 
In You death has lost its sting


Ready to Love on some more amazing kids tomorrow, God, let us be your hands and feet.


<3
Chloe