KISSES AND SPIDERMAN

About a year ago I started planning for this mission.  I knew I would primarily help administratively but one of the most exciting thoughts I had would be to act as a house parent.  While my role doesn't include childcare duty, there is one certain child I try to connect with often.  His name is Daniel or "chunk".  Daniel is 4 and he doesn't have any siblings at the home.  He is extremely affectionate and loves to eat any kind of junk food you can imagine.  He is really funny because he gets excited about everything and sometimes does a little dance that involves shaking his bon-bon or or swaying his hips.  I love to walk into a room and say, "Daannieeeeeellllll!" and watch him come running to jump into my arms.  Then everytime I try to pick him up I say, "oh! you're such a chunk!"  Now he knows how to say, "I'm a chunk!" in English.  Certainly a term of endearment.  Daniel does not skimp out on kisses for sure.  Sometimes he will even grab your head and stick to your cheek for as long as he can.  The other night I was giving him kisses before he went to bed and he just couldn't get enough.  I thought about how much easier it was for him to go to bed with someone there to confirm their love for him before he fell asleep.  I know that with Daniel it is mutual.  I can always count on him to give me kisses and confirm someone's love for me day in and day out.  These special kisses have warmed my heart and have made me feel loved.

Last night I sat down next to Erika and her caregiver after she had had a meltdown.  Her caregiver explained that she was climbing and swinging from the bannisters as if she were spiderman!  I laughed because Erika is the one child who climbs, swings, jumps, and will get herself into any knook and cranny she can find.  She also likes to run around doing cartwheels and handstands.  I told her that I thought it was great that she had a caregiver who loved her enough to make her stop what she was doing so that she wouldn't get hurt.  She told me that she already knew some new spiderman moves and that she was sure she wouldn't get hurt.  I told her that it's probably best that even though she didn't think she'd get hurt that she listen to those who are much older than her and can identify danger a little better.  She ended up agreeing.  Then she went on to say that another girl had hit her.  I asked her how she reacted and she confirmed that she told the caregiver.  I wanted to reinforce how great that was because she didn't hit her back.  Well, then she admitted that she hit her back the second time.  She then hunched over and said, "I want to change but I just don't know how!"  Oh!  How sweet for a 7 year old!  I told her that I feel the same way too but the only answer I have for her is that she can ask Jesus to help her every single day.  So together we prayed, well I prayed and she repeated after me, asking Jesus to help her say nice words and behave well while she plays, attends school and is with her family.  We also prayed that Jesus would forgive her for her sins and make her heart clean.  I told her that we all make mistakes but Jesus always forgives and He can always help us.  Her tender little voice and her tightly squinted eyes gave me such a smile because moments like those don't happen often and when they do I want to soak it all up and praise God for giving me an opportunity to share hope with another.  It's also a good lesson for me to remember too!

"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.  We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."  2 Thess 1:11-12