I have realized that there is something in this world that you really cannot buy and that is to have genuine joy in your heart. The outreach team went to two orphanages in Battambang today, April 4, and it was quite fulfilling to see the smiles and happiness on the faces of each orphaned kid that we had met. They were beaming with joy and love as each one of them gave us a welcoming hug. We sang to them and rendered our skits and taught them some animal-baloon-making and took a lot of photos with them. They loved to give us loving hugs and enjoyed talking with us. We also gave them some bags of goodies that we have packed this morning at the lobby of the hotel. The practice of the skits were also done at the hotel lobby and we also talked about our activities' schedule for the whole week.
This morning, April 4, we had our devotion with Pastor Doug at 7:30 a.m. after our breakfast. And we talked about love and serving one another and the scripture verse was Galatians 5:13, yesterday's scripture was John 15:12. And after devotion, the Construction team went to their destination to help build a kitchen and a fence in one new orphanage of New Hope for Orphans in Battambang. They were full of smiles as they went off to their destination not minding or thinking about the hard menial task they will do under the sweltering heat of Cambodia. I admire this team, with love in their hearts and strength from the Lord, they fully trust that God will give them enough strength for the day to show love and inspire the orphans by helping them build a kitchen and a fence.
As the Outreach team bid their goodbyes to the orphans, and as one of them saying my goodbye to those lovely friendly children, my heart was struck with a pang. You will only know what I've meant if you will join a mission trip and hug these little ones. But there was something else that I have discovered besides the heat and tiredness that came with this mission trip, there's this unspeakable joy that you will feel deep down in your heart. The joy that you have made someone smile today, the joy that you have been a channel of blessing of the Lord to a child, the joy that you know that you have inspired and encouraged some people but most of all, the joy that you know that you have made your God smile for doing your calling that He has put in your heart.
I have been inspired and encouraged today by my mission group but mostly by the brave smiles of those little ones that we have visited today. They have a smile even they know that they still have tough days ahead of them and they are still very young but they have taught me to be happy and to have a smile even having so little in life. Unspeakable joy, I cannot deny, O Lord my Father, thank You for this awesome day!
