The exact date of this photo escapes me. It was taken on a trip to Thailand fairly early in our partnership with Suradet and Yupa. We went on an outing, escaping the oppressive humidity, driving up in the mountains a little bit, where this gently cascading waterfall provided no end of refreshing fun.
I remember the children's uninhibited laughter; their squeals and happy shouts, playing in the rushing water with the forest leaning in, all green and misty and lush.
I had a profound moment in the midst of that. Sitting there (I'm kind of off to the right under a tree branch with a pinkish shirt on), letting the cool water and the children's joy wash over me, there was an undeniable, breath-snatching sense of God's presence, and His voice, bell-clear, saying:
"This!"
Because laughter and joy and wild-abandon fun is NOT where these kids came from. It was NOT where they were headed either, had they not found their way into the nourishing care of this unique and incredible family. And somehow, some-unbelievable-totally-unlikely-but-it-happened-anyway-how, I get to be part of it.
"This!"
"Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:37-40
"This!"
"And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed....You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:10-11
"This!"
"In the last days....(God's end game for humanity)...Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid." Micah 4:4
"This!"
Yes, this!
And the cascades of shalom, of God's ultimate love-driven destination of peace, keep tumbling over our children, over their hearts, over their lives, over their futures. And it all spills back to us.
I leave in less than two weeks (October 31), so the countdown is really on now.
Sponsors' packets are all in, bulging pouches of this exact kind of least-of-these-shalom, ready for opening on the first day I arrive. And it all tumbles down and around and waters this garden of peace.
Thank you for joining this piece of the mission of God!
May everyone who's given any part of themselves towards this cascade be washed over with blessing and strength and joy, and exactly the kind of peace you need right now.
