Sorry for the long break between parts one and two for those who have been waiting...aka Memsies. I've been distracted by packing and cleaning and meijering and dairy queening and stuff! But now I'm back at Purdue sitting at my new desk in my new room with my new roommate in her gross cheerleading shirt. And it is wonderful. It's been a whirlwind of meeting SO MANY new people and squealing out "oh my gosh it's so good to see you!!" SO MANY times. But it's been AWESOME!! It feels like I'm picking up right where I left off, which is really cool. And lots of people are askin about project so I get to talk about it a ton and it's really really fun :)
So...I learned something really cool this summer. Let me start by saying that elementary week of camp was seriously one of the hardest things I have endured. Four girls tested me to my limits and pushed me to my breaking point and gave me more attitude than I thought was possible for eight year olds. By the grace of God and the help of my co-counselors Carissa and Megan, we did it. Throughout the week, I got to have one-on-one time with one of our girls, Sabrina. At the beginning of the week, she was having trouble fitting in, and she even thought about leaving our cabin. She was so upset that she started crying and she ended up sharing a lot of what was going on in her life at home. I didn't know how to respond. She looked so broken as she told me of the abuse she had received from two men in her life. I makes me sick to think of how much pain she has faced in such a short time on this earth. My arms around her shoulders didn't feel like nearly enough.
By Wednesday, I was feeling so led to talk to her. I knew how much she needed to hear that she is loved MAGNIFICENTLY by a Father who would never hurt her. So we met together and she shared more about her life, and how utterly hopeless she felt. I told her about my relationship with Jesus. How he died for me, and he died for her. How he created the whole world and how he desires for us to know him. And I asked her what she thought and she shrugged and said she didn't know if she even believed in God. And it was like all of a sudden I realized, she was encompassed by an unbelievable amount of pain, shame, darkness, and fear, and she didn't have a Savior. She was alone. She was empty of hope, because she had no one to be her hope.
It was hard. It was really really hard. All I kept thinking was, how is she going to make it? How is she going to go back home and be okay? I wanted to keep her with me so she wouldn't have to face the ugliness and the sin that stole so many pieces from her heart. And I kept praying, God show yourself to her! Burst through the clouds and speak her name! She needs you, can't you see it? But I thought of how much love I had for this little girl, this beautiful little girl who still smiles after all she's been through. And then I thought of how much love her Papa has for her. He knows her in and out, he knew her before she was born, and he is holding her in his hands. He is moving in her life. He is moving toward her, always. And he is calling out her name LOUD. Because he can see how much she needs him, how he is the only thing she needs. Because in him is all the hope in the world.
And I needed some of that hope too. A lot of it, actually. Because I knew I wouldn't be seeing her again. I knew she would go home and life would continue as usual. But God reminded me so sweetly of how he brought her to camp. He gave her a week in his glorious presence. And he KNOWS what lies ahead for her. So I am thankful. So incredibly thankful that he brought her into my life this summer, and he used me to show himself to her. And he has taught me that his word shall not return empty [Isaiah 55:11] and that he will complete the good works he starts [Philippians 1:6].
I will think of Sabrina, and hope in the LORD that she hears his whisper. When I hear these lines form"Jesus Paid it All":
And now indeed I find
thy power and thine alone
can change the leper's spot
and melt this heart of stone.
I pray with everything in me that she will put her hope in THE ONE TRUE GOD who has the power to restore her brokenness through grace.
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CLASSES START TOMORROW OH MY ACHIN TENTACLES
It's gonna be a good year.
