Mirrors of the Soul
The pew I sat on was wooden, much like the ones we had in our church when I was a very small girl.
Slatted wooden pews that you would most likely snag your clothes or get a splinter. How far we have come.
What I witnessed though was “love”. In its most effective and freely giving form.
They sang just as we do. They worshiped just as we–only in another language. Hands lifted, praising God–from where all their help comes.
They welcomed us--just as we, at Grace –do for each faithful one, as well as each new visitor. Shaking hands and hugging necks, smiling and many hola’s could be heard.
I was glad to be back in my church–singing praises to my Savior–giving Him all the glory and praise for what I was blessed to witness, experience and feel the past week. These songs were familiar–and I sang with great joy in my heart…sorry if you happened to be in front of me. (I just am sorry if you’ve never experienced church outside of your comfort zone. 🙂
Frequently, I journey back–as I walked through the pictures from my camera….What I saw—took my breath away. I hope it does yours too this week.
I hope you are able to literally smell the fields and feel the rain–and get a true sense of the country of Honduras. The stench of the cow manure and dog “business” as we stepped over it, or around it–walking through trails to get to someone’s house.
I hope your hand hurts with the heaviness of the water bucket and that tears sting and burn as you look up the hill in the picture and realize you have a long walk ahead to get the water to that house…way…up…there.
Don’t be afraid. As I typed that, I shook my head–as if you were sitting here.
I want to tell you face to face–so you can see the light in my eyes….for every mission trip—always makes my eyes shine a bit brighter—and it’s mostly the residual tears that linger from the memories.
I hope it never goes away.
As I squatted down in front of this little girl, I pointed to my camera and questioned, “photo?”, as I do with each one. Not wanting to impose–or embarrass….and she nodded and stood quite still with her eyes speaking volumes. Someone else noticed and walked over to join–and as both shutters snapped to close on a memory–I saw the reflection of us in her eyes. I touched her face and leaned in and told her she was “muy bonita”. Very beautiful.
What did she see?
She saw two people– both interested in her for some reason–she saw smiles–inquisitiveness in my nature to be sure. Likely she saw two funny ladies with cameras…
She was indeed beautiful, as was every child I saw. Whether their faces were covered in dirt, teeth rotting, gnats dotting their eyes, nose and mouths like many freckles, they were beautiful to God–and that is why He sent His Son. That’s why His Son, Jesus agreed to lay His All on the cross….for you and me in our comfortable worlds of living–and for these in their poverty stricken places of rain and mud–and the dry hot deserts…for these and other faces….
He wanted me to see again–His world.
Here, there is a church practically on every corner. In most towns that’s a fact. In the country where we live, churches are dotted about on the landscape of green grass and dirt roads like patches of Light. OR, they should be the Light.
There is so much more to this story–from beginning to end-more than what could be shared here. I hope you hunger to go yourself. There are not so many churches when you leave the United States. Pray for them. For every heart and soul you will never lay eyes on…and while you are praying here…Look into the eyes of the people you meet next…see the transparency of the soul. Pray for them. You can do so quietly–or, take them by the hand and do so.
Read Paul’s words…they are much more fitting than anything I could add today, 1 Corinthians 13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
© Angie Knight- 2014. From the archives at The Knightly News. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
You continually bless sis, love you.