Thankfully, it was only a tiny baby. She couldn't get me too wet. You see, in the villages the babies rarely have diapers. Diapers are very expensive in RO and not a priority for most of the Roma families. This afternoon, when I asked a mother if I could hold her little baby I had no idea the prize in store for me. It was instant, as if she was just waiting to be in my arms to let it out. Her mom figured it out about the same time I did. The mother simply scooped her back up and took her home to change her pants. As I handed the little one over I discovered the wet circle right in the middle of my blue t-shirt. We had only arrived a few minutes earlier, so I still had a while to go before I could change my shirt. I just continued on as if nothing had happened. This is my life. A short while later, the kind mother returned with her little girl in dry pants. I got to hold her again, along with her older brother who was already occupying my lap. This time we stayed dry until she was hungry and had to go back to mommy.
That was my funny story for the day...here's what else happened:
Every Sunday we attempt to have a kids program in the village while the adults have church. The kids tend to just spend the church service walking in and out or generally creating commotion during church. So, we're trying to create a better environment for everyone. The only problem is our lack of control with the kids. They really just don't listen. Today consisted of trying to talk over all the kids simultaneously talking. When we try to get their attention there is generally a lot of ignoring that occurs. When that doesn't work, we just tell the kids to all yell at the top of their lungs. Then someone holds up their fingers and counts to three. The theory is everyone will stop at the count of three. The reality is half the kids keep screaming and we have to count to three about five times in order to get them all to stop screaming. That was about how this afternoon went.
So, we muddled through another day with those uncontrollable kids. The strange part is: we still love them; we still want to go back. Even though we often walk away discouraged, we keep going back. We keep loving those kids. We keep trying to show them Jesus.
Seriously, who am I to say they've had too many chances!?!? Praise the Lord, He doesn't count my chances and tell me when I've ran out! He doesn't walk away and throw His hands up at my stubbornness. He doesn't give up showing me His love, even when I'm talking, yelling and looking every way but His. He never tells me "no" when I seek His forgiveness. He desires repentance for His children, but His love is never diminished. His mercy flows like a river over all my sins. He doesn't give up on me. By God's strength I won't give up on that wild bunch of kiddos!
This seems to be a common thread in what God has been teaching me lately. When I get discouraged, frustrated or hurt by the people around me, He usually quietly reminds me of His great forgiveness for me. It's my humble reminder that I have no business withholding forgiveness from ANYONE! I have no reason not to extend mercy and grace each day to whomever I interact with. The mercy He has poured out on my life and continues to provide each morning is more than enough. I don't deserve it. I can't earn it. I simply accept it, this life-giving mercy.
Reminds me of a song:
Mercy is falling is falling is falling
Mercy is falling like a sweet spring rain
Mercy is falling is falling all over me
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