"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Rev 21:4, ESV).
A SHORT (but true) STORY
Even though it happens in movies, I’ve never once been asked by a child why people cry. We just do. Whenever our emotions catch us by surprise, or overwhelm us, or are altogether too much to feel at once, they tend to come out in the form of tears.
A couple of weeks ago, just before the Philippines started imposing a series of lock downs, the kids and staff of CSC gathered at the picnic tables. Many of us were shedding tears, overwhelmed by our emotions. One prominent emotion was joy; two of our dear children—a couple of the most lovable, joy-filled, and vivacious kids you could ever meet—were being picked up by their new parents. This sibling group of two had been matched with a family in Minnesota, and I was about to drive them to the airport. This was their farewell gathering.
We love every child that the Lord brings to us, and that’s probably what makes saying goodbye so difficult. Those tears of joy, admittedly, were mixed with a healthy dose of sadness. The Lord is telling us that we’ve done our job. We’ve shared His love with these kids as best we could. Now that would be the job of this precious family; a family that came across the sea to add two more to their fold.
But as I looked at the kids gathered around me, I began to wonder, “what makes people cry?” Not in an abstract sense, but specifically. What other emotions are bubbling up in the hearts of these kids? Many are losing two of their closest friends. Some may be wondering when it’ll be their turn. Others are probably excited for the new adventures their friends will have. Others yet are anxious, wondering if they’ll make it out of the country before all outbound flights are cancelled. Joy, excitement, fear, anxiety; certainly enough to overwhelm this teary-eyed missionary.
The song we sing for anyone before they leave says, “God will take care of you.” Wherever the Lord may bring us, we trust in His care, and we’re thankful for the time He gives us with one another. May we always use those times wisely, sharing His love and His Gospel, for His glory. Amen.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Please pray for everyone at the Shelter as the country tries to contain the coronavirus. Schools have been cancelled until April 14th and strict curfews have been put in place all around the province. Pray that we are able to remain healthy and that we can continue effectively caring for all our kids during this time.
A 24-hour curfew has been put in place (for an indefinite amount of time) for all school-aged children. This means that our four children won't be able to go up to the Shelter with Heather and I (we rent a home "off-site"). Pray with us as we navigate this time as a family.
Panic-buying has not ensued here in Cebu, but a concern would be that reduced planes and ships coming to the island could mean a reduced stock of food, supplies, fuel, etc. Pray for the people of Cebu; things could get very difficult if our island is cut off from the capital city of Manila and the rest of the Philippines.
Learn more about the Children's Shelter of Cebu here.
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