Learning to Love

I'm finding that it is so easy to fall in love here. How can your heart not be moved when you are surrounded by faces that look like this on a daily basis? I know I'm biased, but I think this country has the MOST beautiful people in the world-inside and out. How do you restrain yourself from wanting to hug them and provide for them in every way possible? 

I've struggled with one main thing since coming here, and was reminded of it the other day while reading. In Luke 6 Jesus is talking to a group of people, and He states that we are to give to everyone who begs from us. That held my attention for a moment. As I was reading this, I was preparing to go out for the day with a group of University students to supply a village school with thousands of pens, notebooks, and gospel tracts. As we were meeting one need, I saw so many other needs that these people had. Clothes-shoes-medical care. Serious issues. As I read in Luke I questioned, "What does this even look like here..a place where the needs can overwhelm you?" I was reminded of the story in Acts 3 where Peter and John do not hand out anything of worldly value, but give a beggar so much more. If you look into the eyes of the people here, all their worldly needs fade and you see their hearts. You see that they need so much more than clothes, shoes or medical care. While these needs are serious and need to be met, their hearts ache for so much more...and that is something I can tell them about. The greatest time spent in each village school were the minutes an American University student stood up and told of a love that compelled them to leave their homes in America, travel thousands of miles, and give a small gift in hopes that each student would accept a gift of love much greater. While thousands of notebooks were handed out, thousands of students were able to hear truth. Places where truth is so hard to reach. Places where the enemy has so many ensnared. 

Please continue to lift these beautiful faces up. Please continue to ask that the Father would continue to give me discernment on how to love when the needs can be overwhelming. Also-after seeing these faces, I totally understand if you can't help but come visit..we'll make room for ya!