Love > Words

I arrived in Jimani, Dominican Republic, around 10pm on Tuesday. At least I think it was 10pm. I was exhausted. But it only took about 5 seconds before I was given a hug by one of the little girls. Yeah, I'm in the right place.

By the way, in case you didn't know, it's gorgeous here.

Yesterday was a long day. I woke up around 8:30 and started my trek from the clinic to the children's home around 9:05am.  Manda and I spent the next few hours until lunch loving on the kids.  My camera and watch were popular for quite a while, and the boys took turns with my camera until the batteries died. 

Tree climbing, swinging, checkers, dominoes, and just flat-out running in circles are how the days are spent.  Every once in a while, the older boys will play baseball or kick around a soccer ball.  Spiderman and Home Alone are a couple of the popular movies with the kids.

It's funny to listen to some of the boys.  Yesterday afternoon before dinner, I heard one of the boys say, "Hasta la vista, baby!"  It was repeated multiple times by a couple other boys.  I just sat and laughed because I knew the phrase came from an American movie, yet it was in Spanish. 


Now to the point of the actual blog...
When you are somewhere that you can barely communicate with words because of a language barrier, you realize even more how actions truly do speak louder than words.  I speak little Spanish (although sometimes I remember a lot more than I think) and no Creole, but that doesn' treally matter here.  What matters more is that I am able to show love to all of these children.  Just pushing them in the swing or pulling them around while they hang on to my leg gives them a huge smile. 

A couple of the little children, Yinancia and Maikens, both like to be in my lap at the same time.  If Maikens sees Yinancia in my lap, here he comes to sit on the other leg. 

All of the children here love to be loved . . . and I have love to give.  It really is a blessing to be able to spend time with these children and the missionary families.  It's only the second day here, and I'm already learning more than I ever thought I would.  It's the little things that are teaching me the most.  I know I am called to missions.  Being here has definitely confirmed that, just like it did in December. 

This is going to be a fantastic journey over the next 5 weeks.  I pray that instead of it being like drinking from a fire hydrant, it will be like  a trickle into a sponge.  I want to be able to absorb the little details of what God is showing and teaching me as well as what He is preparing me for.

I'm learning more of how to be a servant. 

I really am learning to live, to live the way God intended.