above all other virtues - love

"Six-year-old Derek, a shy little boy with the face of an angel, fell and bumped his head.  He looked so determined not to cry - here children are taught to be big and tough -  but against his best efforts, tears began to flow.  I pulled him into my lap, and almost as quickly as they started the tears stopped.  But what was left, the sorrow in those eyes beyond the tears, I will never forget.  The eyes that peered out of that six-year-old face were a hundred years old and had seen more tragedy in their short lifetime than most ever will.  I was filled with grief for this beautiful boy. I cradled in my arms a child who had seen his parents and siblings killed and had more than likely been forced to kill others himself in the war in northern Uganda.  This child had known what it meant to be truly starving, to be totally lost, to be utterly hopeless.

And in that same moment of sadness, I was blown away by the greatness of our Lord, by the fact that God in all His mighty plans had cared enough for this child, had cared enough for me, to put us together in that moment.  The God who created the heavens and the earth knew that on a rainy day in Uganda a little boy would bump his head, and the pain would be deeper than just that bump.  God had put me in just the right place and given me the privilege of loving this child, gently rubbing his back and holding his hand, in a way he had not been loved in a long time, if ever.  By the grace of God, I was blessed with the gift of being able to hold and hug this child, eventually tickling him until those sorrowful eyes brightened a little, and Derek threatened to erupt with laughter.  We sat there like that for quite some time, and Derek never spoke.  When I asked him if he wanted to go play now, he shook his head and looked at me with a face that read, 'No, can I stay here forever,' and when we finally got up for dinner, those big brown eyes were full of gratitude.  God reminded me again that day that I have one purpose, in Uganda and in life, and that is to love.  I could ask for no greater assignment."     Katie Davis - Kisses from Katie

As we look to head to Ethiopia in less than a little over 48 hours, I pray will have this same mindset.  

Our assignment is to love.