Love and Light
I followed some calling that I did not completely understand to come to The James Place, unsure of why I so strongly felt that I needed to be here. Having a child welfare background in foster care and adoption, I wanted to gain more perspective and insight in terms of what that looks like on an international scale. I quickly learned while being here that it is not really about me at all. I have learned more in these past three months than I can truly put into words. I have learned patience in how I see the children in the childcare and preschool programs serve each other every meal and wait for everyone to be seated before eating, kindness in how every child and staff member take the time to greet each other every morning, and the importance of community in how they lovingly and selflessly care for one another. In trying to process the overwhelming feeling of God’s presence here, one phrase keeps echoing in my mind: love & light.
In everything I do, I strive to be a source of love & light for the people around me. Here is no different; however, my time here has been graciously filled with moments of others showing me that same spirit. Love is present in every big hug - light, in the laughter of the children running to each other. Both are present in Aisha, a remarkable teacher and tremendous mother, who took in two boys to care for as her own, without doubt or hesitation. I find myself wondering how I can bring this selfless, genuine desire to love one another that Aisha embodies back home to America, particularly in the child welfare realm. We could learn a thing or two about how people show up for each other here.
Although I know I am constantly in the midst of the Lord’s grace, trying to grasp the complexities of physical poverty present here along with His unmistakable presence is challenging. My mind spins with painful thoughts and difficult questions - leaving me feeling both helpless and empowered. I have come to realize that I am beautifully in over my head. Because there is light. It’s the moments of peace in connecting with the women and our grace-filled conversations that remind me that the love I look for is here, but from another world - one that is not so conditional and dependent on earthly possessions and thinkings as this one is. It is one that is higher, brighter. One that shows me the reasons for the slips and falls; how when God separated light from darkness, He didn’t take the light away from the darkness, but left it to shine as a beacon within it.
The James Place is a beacon - truly a place of love & light. Within it, the women, children, and fellow interns are lifted up as the strong souls God created them to be. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to walk their paths with them. God knows they have proven to be beacons for me.
