How do you NOT see God here?

So after I posted my last blog a friend of mine said that lady just didn't want her floor to have mud on it. It sounds like that place is in need of help- I just see and hear the need for God....how do you see God there?

I see God when I see my children playing nice and safe outside on the playground and not in their homes starving, being abused in every way possible and lonely. I give thanks when I hear their laughter and their screaming and running away while I chase them. Because God has rescued them from crying and screaming and no one coming to get them out or a crib.

I feel God when my friends tell me when they were at the lagoon we like to take the young children to swim, a group of guys in a nice boat shot many shots up in the air and not at them. Here it's a real thought you could be shot at because there are drug dealers and real "bad guys". I feel blessed that when I hear gunshots at night they sound far away and not at our fence.

I hear God when I gather every week with a group of woman for bible study and we go around the group saying our blessings and our prayers. I hear God when we talk about our ministries and we pray for each other to be successful in them.

I taste God when I have cool, clean water to drink-you might think that sounds silly but the kids at Mama Tara's house love to feel the condensation on my water bottle because they don't have cold water to drink. It's a treat to get to drink out of my water bottle because it's clean and cold. I see the kids on the streets and on their front porches when I am walking home for lunch from Mama Tara's and I feel guilty every time because I know they don't have enough food, that hunger is a constant feeling they have.

And last but not least I believe in God and he is in my heart so even if I didn't see, feel or hear him I would still have faith and he would be inside me and that would be enough. I hug, kiss, hold and love on children every day and that is God's love coming through me.

I've been going to Mama Tara's a while now and have seen how things are and that floor gets dirty so I am pretty sure it was more than Ava just minding her floor being muddy. So the question I think should be how do you NOT see God here?

Coming to serve and being served...

Summertime is officially over here, which means no more groups, teenage summer volunteers or good food...just 3 women left all with a different calling from the Lord but adding up to make a great team. I will miss the lobster, chicken fried rice and shrimp but I like the calmness that a routine has to offer-the word calm sounds strange coming out of my mouth. I think something I am learning here is that there is a time to be super energized, a time to be on alert and a time to be calm.

Last night when I had to sleep in the Sala which is the middle room between the boys and girls hallways I couldn't be calm no matter how hard I tried!!! The roof is tin and it rained, there were rats, cats, roaches and mosquito's of both kinds (the children and insect) everywhere. So I didn't sleep a wink but I got a nice long nap this morning. It's really hard to have a home for children with teens of both sex and they all have been abused or seen abuse.

On to a happier note-Charlito and Mia!!! Charlie of course was one of the noise makers in the middle of last night but then settled as soon as he was laying in bed with me. Watching him sleep might be the one thing that makes everything better about sleeping over there a couple nights. Anyway Charlito is doing well but still has diaper issues, we hopefully got all the worms this time. He is so close to walking and saying more words than Mama, I can hardly wait!!! Mia still has extended belly from her worms but the pills should be working on that in the next day or two. She gets happier with everyday that passes but still wakes crying, all I can do is hold her until she stops nothing else will soothe her. Hopefully the diaper and waking up crying troubles will start to fade and we will have completely happy babies!!!

Mama Tara is still in the hospital on the other side of the jungle she is stable but still not a 100 percent so please continue to pray for her and God's plan for her Children in the home. Speaking of those children, they are doing well but as to be expected there are a few children who are pushing the line and if you know me well you know those are my favorite kind of child!!! So I am teaching them UNO and they love it!!! It's great because we are all working on our Spanish colors and numbers over there-they are a Mosquito ran home. I have been going over there everyday this last week and I have to travel thru mud to get there. When I get there I try my best to clean my shoes off but I always end of making tracks. Yesterday Aba (a house helper) was mopping and I totally messed up her floor so I took the mop from her to clean up my mess and she went to the well and got a pale of water and came and washed my feet and my flip flops for me. I have always seen God and experienced God mainly in children but this woman who is in her late 30's showed me God and made my heart shine and I know it sounds silly for someone who hasn't come here but for a Mosquito to clean a white person's feet who is not paying them is a big deal it's bigger than a big deal it's God in work. I am always surprised when I got to serve, I am the one is gets served and blessed. I pray that I am blessing them at least half of what they are doing for me.