You Deserve The Glory

Let me paint a picture of a typical Friday of Camp LIFE. Children running everywhere. New shirts, bandanas and shoes being worn. Dancing. Smiling. Laughter. True joy. It's the only way to describe it. It's the best day some of these children will have in their entire lives.

Now let me paint you a different picture. A father thrown in jail for rape. A mother who was so sick she moved away, not knowing if she is even still alive. A child being sent to stay with strangers to live a servant's life. That's the beginning of the story I was told by Queen, a 14 year old girl who attended camp this past week. One day, the people she lived with also left her. She was essentially taking care of herself at just 14 years old. She went into the market to get some food and when she came back there was a man waiting for her in her home. The details of what happened to her that day don't need to be repeated. Pain pierced my heart and my tears were uncontrollable when I heard the whole story. Queen, not knowing what to do next, decided to tell her neighbors about the horrific things that had just happened to her. Nobody believed her. In fact, they called her a liar. They whipped her for telling such stories. They cast her out.

Then, something miraculous happened. A friend of hers who attended Camp LIFE last year told Queen to pray she gets to come to camp this year. She said that is where you go for people to listen to your story and to care about you. So Queen prayed. And the Lord answered her.

On Friday of camp, we told Queen she wasn't going back home. She was going to come and live with us now. I looked her in the eyes and told her how loved she was. I told her I loved her. I told her that her counselor loved her. I told her God loved her. Over and over I repeated these words as I sat with her in my arms. All of a sudden I realized Queen was crying. She was releasing so much hurt and built up emotions.

After a while we just started talking and I was asking her all kinds of questions about camp and how much fun she had. Then I asked her what makes her the most happy and she said she loves to sing. I convinced her to sing for me and these were the words she sang:

My God is great
I will worship Him
He deserves all the glory
My God is great

As Queen was singing, she closed her eyes and lifted her hands. Again, tears streamed down her beautiful face. Her love for her Father was so strong and evident. Here, a girl who has known nothing but hardship and struggle in her 14 years of life, is worshiping the Lord because that is what gives her the most joy in her life.

It’s stories like Queen’s that break my heart, but remind me of God’s beautiful love and grace. What a blessing it is for me that He has chosen me to love on the children He loves the very most.

There is Power in the Name Jesus

On Friday, I was a part of 2 more homes opening up in our Tree of Life Children’s Village. I’ve never felt closer to God’s heart then on one of these days. The days before are used to set up the home. We work for days and nights trying to prepare for the openings. Sometimes we miss meals and sometimes we miss sleep and all the time our bodies are sore and tired. But oh, it is all worth it.

It’s worth it to see a family of 3 girls move in who hadn’t eaten in days. It’s worth it to see a girl escape the grasp of her alcoholic and abusive step father. It’s worth it to see a little boy smile who recently tried to commit suicide because his life was unbearable. I could go on and on. Story after story. It’s all worth it. Every single child is worth it.

Yesterday we played the theme song for Camp LIFE to the children who live at the Tree of Life Children’s Village. What a sweet moment to watch these words wash over those children:

Into the darkness You shine, out of the ashes we rise 
there's no one like You, none like You 
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, 
God you are higher than any other. 
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God! 

And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us. 
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against. 

Think about that. God has gone into the darkest corners of this world to rescue the least of these. Nothing can stop Him. Nothing can stand against Him. He will come for His children.

There is power in the name Jesus 
There is power in the name Jesus 
To break every chain 
To break every chain 

What a sweet gift. These kids know all too well about chains holding them down. But God didn’t let them stay there. He will not forget His children.

There is nothing better than to hold open your arms and to have a sweet child, who maybe has never even been held before, come running and jumping into your arms. To see them smiling and laughing. To see them happy. It’s worth it.

It’s all worth it.