There was a song some years back called, “When God Ran.” Part of the lyrics say, “He ran to me. He took me in his arms. Held my head to his chest. Said my son’s come home again. Lifted my face. Wiped the tears from my eyes. With
forgiveness in his voice He said, ‘Son do you know I still love you?’” What you can’t see in this picture was the surprise, joy and the fact that Mario Felix and I ran to each other just before this embrace. See, Mario didn’t know I was coming back in July. That embrace was God using me to show Mario that he is seen; He is not forgotten and God loves him so much. The Haitian boys and girls that live in the DR are often unseen. Their lives are very simple. Each day is the same as the next. Life in the Batey is monotonous at best and incredibly difficult at worst.

In Matthew 18, Jesus was asked about who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven? Jesus takes the opportunity to teach the disciples that “whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (vs. 4-5) Children are treasured by the Lord. In the same chapter then, Jesus shares the parable of the wandering sheep and reminds them that a shepherd will leave the 99 sheep to find the one that has wandered off. “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” (vs. 14)

Please keep our team in prayer as 37 of us are traveling March 4-12 and will be serving alongside our staff at the school in Batey 35 to continue to share the love Jesus has for each of them.

Lord Jesus, thank you for saving us, for loving us, and for seeing each of us. There have been times in my life where I know you have run to me to remind me that you are my Father and you love me. May we each share that same love around us, and may the children in our lives know that they are gift not only to us in this world, but to their Heavenly Father. Amen.