Emonise walked with us to the orphanage (Okay. He really walked with Lane to the orphanage. The rest of us just happened to be heading in the same direction.) and then waited outside the gate until Lane came back out. Because, something in this one specific teenager drew him like a moth to a flame.
Inside of those gates, an entire team of teenagers played. They played soccer with bigger boys and threw little boys through the air until squeals and giggles burst forth. They coaxed smiles and songs from little girls waiting for the foster mom to do their hair. They took turns holding the babies, slowly soothing one of them to sleep.
As they played, they took note of personalities and mannerisms. "This kid reminds me so much of [high school director's son]!" And, every once in a while, they well and truly relaxed.
"The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11
A moment with a child would catch them off guard, and everything that they were carrying around from the village would just slip off. That pain that was thick enough to feel radiating off of them would dissipate, and you could watch everything about them relax.
And, their light would shine even brighter.
Even in this moment, when their flesh should have been at its weakest, when they should have had less than nothing left to give, they were able to glow.
His strength is perfected in our weakness. And, the streams of His love that can pour forth from us never fail.
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