One of the reasons we joined the Sisseton missions team this year was for the sake of our children. My husband and I believe that the most significant and lasting thing we can do with our lives is to share Jesus with the people around us, and we want that to become part of our family's identity. We want our kids to know that this is what our family does - we share the love of Jesus. And we wanted our children's eyes (and our own) to be opened a little bit more to the world around us.
When we first shared the idea of a family missions trip with our kids, they were totally on board. This will be fun! This will be like when we tell our friends at school about Jesus, or invite someone from our neighborhood to AWANA! We know how to do this! Let's go!
It didn't take long for them to realize that sharing the love of Jesus doesn't always fit into the predictable, neat, little box that they're used to here at home. Throughout the 5 days that we spent in Sisseton, our children started to come up to us in tears, sharing their broken little hearts:
"Mom, the kids are making fun of my name and being really mean to me, and I don't know why. It's hurting my feelings."
"Mom, that girl just insulted Dad and was really disrespectful. Why can these kids act like that?"
"Mom, that boy just hit me...hard!...and it's my birthday today. I thought my birthday was supposed to be fun."
"Mom, why are these little kids - just 4 or 5 years old - running all over town all day long? Where are their parents?"
"Mom, that little boy over there looks hungry. Can I go give him a banana for breakfast?"
Over and over again, my husband and I gently took our kids aside and explained to them that this...this...is what it means to show the love of Jesus to a dying world. Jesus forgives us, even when we don't deserve it. Jesus forgives us, even when we hurt Him deeply. When we extend that forgiveness to others around us, they get a taste (possibly their first) of God's unconditional love. And when we see the gaping needs in another's life (neglect, hunger, poverty...), we have an opportunity to respond in gratitude for the blessings that God has poured into our lives, and then to reach out and share those blessings with those in need.
This week, as a family, we saw the heart-breaking reality of emaciated lives, starved of love and hope - both young and old. And, in turn, we were given the chance to pour the love and hope we've been so richly blessed with back into those hungry souls. I pray we made an impact. I know that we were impacted. We came home with eyes that don't take our blessings for granted quite so easily, with hearts that beat a little more deeply with compassion, and with hands a little more willing to selflessly serve. And as we wrap these experiences up into our family identity, I pray that we will be able to more effectively serve our mighty God - no matter where He leads us.
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