kings & queens.

There is this song by Audio Adrenaline. (the video is below)

I swear I have heard it just about every single time I’ve been in the car since I got back to the States from Benin.

The first time I heard it, whew. Tore me up.

All I could see were my little kings and queens...

 Today as I was driving home from mailing some letters and a box at the post office, the song came on and it wrecked me. I had just gotten off the phone with Cindy, Ashley's mom, and we ended the conversation with just being thankful for how God has orchestrated such a beautiful story through Jon and Ashley's obedience to be in Benin. I then called Ashley back. She had left me a sweet voicemail yesterday but with the time difference when I had the chance to call her back yesterday, it was well after midnight in Benin and I try not to make a habit of waking them up when sleep is so precious to their crazy life. She was in the middle of a village doing a visit to some of our sponsor kids and I just was really thankful following these sweet phone calls. Then this song came on & Tats was losing her cool while driving down Elm Street. Because I’ve seen it. I’ve witnessed it first hand. I’ve seen love. I’ve felt love. I’ve been loved. And I will never be the same.

And neither will these kids. Their lives will never be the same because someone saw their need and decided to do something about it. Each of our children have a different story. Just like each of us have different stories. We have multiple sets of siblings at the orphanage, and even though their stories are much the same, each child has their own history. By the grace of God, these orphaned children came to Arbre de Vie. And it has not been an easy journey for most. Jon and I were talking about that late one night while I was there. The psychology that plays into being a parent to these children and gaining their trust after they've been neglected and not taken care of for so long. The hurt and need of their past is great and devastating…but someone saw them and someone decided to take action. People continue to see the need and take action. Jon and Ashley do this on a daily basis. Volunteers come from all over the US and Europe to do this. Myself, and countless others, continue to do this. Take action. Why? Because the children of Arbre de Vie are our “least of these”.

Their lives have only just begun

and they could be your daughters and your sons.

I have to continue to believe that

God will not let them be defeated.

Every child does have a desire to belong and be loved…

We all do, don’t we?

Boys will be kings.

Girls will be queens.

Wrapped in Your majesty.

When we love the least of these…

Break our hearts once again, help us to remember when

we were only children hoping for a friend.

Won’t you look around?

These are the lives that the world has forgotten.

Waiting for doors of our hearts and our homes to open…

When we love the least of these it is just not their lives that are changed. But if it’s not us, then who will be Jesus to them??? 

Who is your “least of these”?

And what are YOU doing TODAY for them?

I have found my “least of these”.

I have loved them.

I continue to love them.

I have felt their hands.

I have seen their eyes.

I have touched their dark brown skin.

And they have changed my life.

I have seen the bravery of these boys.

I have loved these precious girls.

I am now brave and free because of them.

That’s funny, isn’t it? I think we expect to give others so much, but ultimately in giving it is US who is changed in the process. I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be...

They don’t need me…

But I sure need them.

I can only hope and pray that through my love and support, they will become more brave and experience freedom in a different and new way. The way God intended.

And the boys will be kings.

And the girls will be queens.

And they will find victory because they have found Life and they have felt Love...

 I was hungry & you fed me,

I was thirsty & you gave me a drink,

I was homeless & you gave me a room,

I was shivering & you gave me clothes,

I was sick & you stopped to visit,

I was in prison & you came to me.

Then the King will say, “I’m telling you the truth: 

Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, 

that was me – you did it to me.” 

((Matthew 25))

What are you doing today to be the hands and feet of Jesus to someone in need? It doesn't have to be orphaned children in West Africa, but it needs to be someone. It's what we're called to do. Give. Take action. And continue to give. And continue to take action. It makes life so, so sweet.