Loving Them
I'm writing another blog post. And I realized, this is the first one of 2025, and I'm not even in Bolivia. I've actually been back in the states since the end of April. So about four and a half months. But this post isn't about the journey of re-entry that I'm on. It's actually a text message that I sent one of my best friends on one my last days at Familia Feliz, and I thought I'd share it. So, completely raw and unedited, here it goes.
"I’m realizing what it is that makes taking care of older girls so hard. Most of the struggle is not outright misbehavior. It’s a struggle with emotions. Every one of these girls is so broken and fragile. And sometimes, you do something that you think is totally normal, but they get hurt by it. And they might never tell you. And rather than talking to you, because they don’t expect any change because no one in their lives has loved them in a healthy enough way that they’re willing to apologize and be better, they internalize this feeling. Then that one bad feeling grows. And they pick holes at every little thing you do. And it grows and it grows and you have absolutely no idea. You continue to love them, because that’s what you came here to do and you really do love them. Yet even though you love on them endlessly, they have this feeling down in their heart of hurt. Because of one misstep that you probably didn’t realize happened. But they’re so observant, these young ladies. But Melissa once told me something that I won’t ever forget. This is one of the most accurate windows into God’s love for us. It’s to love someone and keep loving someone and keep showing them love when they don’t give you love back. When they don’t treat you well. Everything they do to try to get away from your love, you are still there for them. You love them even though it might hurt you. That’s what God’s love is."
"Love is never wasted, for it's value does not rest on reciprocity"
C.S. Lewis
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Comments
Post a Comment