Luna

The light of the moon glistens in the tears rolling down her cheeks as she looks back, wondering when she will ever come to see her home again. The fear in her eyes is sharp and striking, but she valiantly keeps moving forward, gently placing each foot on the ground, with each step taking her farther away from where she wants to be. It takes all of the strength within her to keep her from running back to the comfort of what she knows, but there's no going back. The car door slams shut and like the switch of a button, her whole world vanishes before her, abandoning her in the dark: alone, scared and lost. If she keeps her eyes open and focused and doesn't turn from what she's learned, I know He will carry her through. She need not have fear of what lies in front of her because the Lord Jesus Christ is with her, He loves her, He will never leave her alone.

Stop.

Things are so much easier said than done. Is it really that easy to let things go and trust to make it out okay in the end? Can you just give it up and let your burdens rest on the shoulders of someone else?

Yes.

With faith it is possible. although it might not be easy, it is attainable. She's starting a new phase in her life, physically and mentally farther from anywhere she's ever been or anything she's ever done. With much prayer and faith, she will adapt. She will learn, she will grow and she will achieve, because this is where God has lead her. With more bravery and faith than I can understand, her presence in my life has taught me gratitude. Accepting wholeheartedly the blessings from a Father who cares and only asks for our love in return. Choosing to move forward and use the gifts we receive, whether it takes us out of our comfort zone or not. Are you comfortable yet?

(ps- Mommy y Daddy, gracias por todo me han dado, ahora yo entiendo un poquito mejor los bendiciones he recibido de ustedes.)

Sun-kissed

Deep, dark eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun, freckles gently dusting his nose, looking in his eyes, he seems to be screaming out for help. As if his heart is breaking in two and he doesn't know why. Everyday is a journey for him, fighting the world around him, trying to allow the good to shine through. The emotional scars taunting him daily, constantly reminding him of where he was and what he could be. The spiritual battle going on inside of him is fierce, it's difficult for him to choose the right way to go. Everyday he decides who he wants to be. Waking up, it is hard to know what challenges he will encounter. He's sweet, he's vicious, he's sincere, he's sarcastic, he's kind-hearted, he's insulting, he's warming, he's malicious... unbeknownst to him, I am continually praying for him. For many of the kids that surround me, everyday is a battle, much different from the one you and I know. With emotional baggage weighing them down, some of them wondering why they weren't 'good enough' for their parents to love them, others wondering why did their parents have to die, why couldn't another kid's parents have died. The other night I was putting the boys to bed, we were joking around and having fun as usual, when all of the sudden I heard the sound of a fist pounding someone's body, quickly followed by the sound of someone crying. As I ran over to see what was going on, I yanked the one boy from on top of the other and began to interrogate him as to why he was hitting. He pushed and pulled, trying to free himself from my grip but I wouldn't let him go. Finally he gave up and I stood there with my arm wrapped around him, my hand laying over his heart, feeling it stomp at a racing pace against his chest. We stood there in silence, my mind searching for the answer as to what could have possibly set him off. I asked him again 'Why were you hitting him?' He pulled away and ran to his bed, his breathe steady, but hard. I left the room, still in thought over what had just happened. I've seen these boys fight before, but this time it had been different, it was something deeper. I have yet to find out just what went wrong. But thinking about the other night reminds me of a different kind of love that you learn while living here. The kind that allows you to stay when you want to walk away the most, the kind that holds on even when you don't want it to. The kind of love that no matter how heavy the weight gets that you are carrying on your shoulders, it is always there to help share the load.