Joy

It's only been one week since my last post so I don't owe my readership a real post. This one is just a story about my day.  I will preface this story with telling you that on the door of my church is a sign that says: "Servicos cada domingo a las 3:30". This sign is a lie. Why is it okay for my church to lie about this? Because this is Honduras and things don't start on time. Tim has never started preaching before 4:30 and sometimes service doesn't start until 5. I love this about my church because most Sundays we get there about 3:30 and just fellowship until someone says it's time to go upstairs. I greatly enjoy spending time with my Honduran and North American friends just chatting and laughing. Some weeks I play with the kids who are too little to join into the perpetual game of basketball that is going on in the parking lot. Today, I mostly played with a little boy named Carlitos. Carlitos has epilepsy and the frequency of his seizures has caused other problems with his mental and physical development. He is one of the sweetest children I have ever met. Many people are tempted to pity him when they meet him, but they are only looking at the surface of who Carolitos is. This child taught me something about joy today and I am forever in his debt. We were playing catch and Carolitos would squeal with glee and clap for me every time I caught the ball. When we switched to kicking the ball back and forth, Carlitos gave the ball a mighty kick and the ball went flying across the parking lot. As I ran after it, childish laughter, embodying pure joy, followed me and surrounded me. We found a "helicopter" (a maple seed pod that spins wildly when you throw it in the air) and the pure fun continued as we tossed it high in the air over and over.  I could not feel sadness or pain while looking into his face. His laughter was like medicine to my soul. Our giggles mixed together, creating a song that I'm sure floated up to heaven and put a smile on God's face.

 I make life too complicated. Children have the right idea. I think I need fling my arms out and spin around like our crazy "helicopter" and just enjoy the sunshine. Thank you, Carlitos, for sharing your joy with me. Thank you, Lord, for little boys like Carlitos and may we always remember that You love him more than we ever could.

 "But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."" -Matthew 19:14