Ah...the beach...the sunshine, the refreshingly cool water, the warm breeze...you just can't go wrong...one of the wonderful things about Ongole is its close proximity to the Indian Ocean where one can go to relax and enjoy a short break from the craziness of India. A real treat for our kids is when we have the opportunity to take them to the beach to play and forget about all the worries of the world. So when we were given the chance to take my schoolgirls to the beach for the day, Caroline and I jumped on it!
We found everyone some Indian beach dress code appropriate clothes (dress and pants), loaded up the car, and set out for the day with windows down and singing songs at the top of our lungs. If only I could find the words to describe the smiles that were on the girls' faces as we drove along, knowing that once we reached our destination they would be able to laugh and play in the ocean...
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| Stacy and Zinnia |
The girls loved it and the smiles were plentiful!
Rachel's smile could be spotted from a mile away...
Honor was like a fish! She played all day in the waves!
The smiles on Victoria's, Christina's and Genevieve's faces describe how they felt perfectly!
Phoebe loved playing in the sand...
And Zinnia went on a hunt for seashells...
Reflecting back on this wonderful day, God brought to mind His Word in Psalm 139:17-18a that says:
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
They would outnumber the grains of sand.
How perfectly this verse describes our Father's thoughts towards these precious little ones. The sum of His thoughts would outnumber the grains of sand on the beach??! If they were to outnumber the grains of sand that we brought home with us in our clothes that day, that would still be a lot! But He says they are infinite; they are incalculable.
These children are the forgotten ones of this world. They are the ones that someone didn't want. But, oh how their Heavenly Father longs to show His love to them. For He loves them and remembers them when they might feel forgotten. His Word promises that He hasn't forgotten them and He will never stop thinking about and smiling upon them daily.
I couldn't be more thankful to have the opportunity to be part of God's redemptive work in each of these kids' lives. I know that their Father thinks the world of them, and myself along with the other people at SCH love reminding them of that every day because they deserve nothing less than to know that they are loved. After all, we know that when they're aware of God's thoughts towards them then this is what brings out those beautiful smiles that we love to see!
Just as I pray for the kids, I pray that you would also know the vast sum of the Father's thoughts towards you. He loves you with an everlasting love that spans further than the eye can see. He smiles upon you and me just as the warm sun shines down at the beach.
And so I dream. I dream of the day when the people of this world know God's great love for them. I dream of the day when my SCH kids know with all their hearts that they are valued. And I rest in today, with the knowledge that our Father's loving thoughts towards you and me and all the SCH kids outnumber the grains of sand...
Sweet! Thinking of you as you prepare your heart and mind to leave those girls you love. Their hearts will always swell with joy when they remember the " Haley Time ". And God's heart swells because you give Him the glory for the opportunity and the results of pouring out love on little ones who others have forgotten. Thanks for following your calling, dear Haley!
ReplyDeleteAw thank you so much! Your words are so sweet and thoughtful! Hope to see you soon when I get back!! :)
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