For the past 10 days I've had the chance to walk in the shoes of another missionary while she is in the States. She is a single mother to 3 children she is in the middle of adopting and has a feeding program twice a week for 50 children. Also she tries to help anyone who knocks on her door and sometimes it seems like there is someone always knocking. Between 3 children all under 4 years old and a stranger always asking for something I don't know how she does it-always has a smile and always willing to bake you something when you come over for a visit. All I can think is God gives single mother's especially on the mission field a little more patience, a little more Grace and a lot more love to share. I am not ready to be a mother at all is what this experience is showing me especially not in a 3rd world country...

So far I have given away her infant to another missionary woman who is older and misses having children around her home. I am learning to except help and take this as a blessing that this woman is willing and able and its ok if someone else can do it when you aren't able.

All the of us have contacted scabies from somewhere-cream was put on. Clothes, sheets and towels were washed. And we were worried about me bringing lice into her home, who would have guessed her children would be giving me scabies instead.

But I must say the thing that makes me know that this young single mom is truly blessed by God is she never complains and if I was being woken up by a toddler who has managed to get poop all over himself and his pack n play at 5am I would be complaining, actually I did complain. lol But the that toddler says your name and giggles and smiles so big you forget all about having to clean the mess up.

And the thing that has blessed me the most is having the opportunity to do her ministry while she is gone. Her ministry has about 50 children in it and they are all sponsored by someone in the States for the feeding program, birthday and Christmas gifts. During the feeding program the children go swimming at the lagoon, eat lunch and then hear the bible and then answer questions for prizes.

I see Jesus in my everyday life here so much I am not ever really surprised by it I just smile and my heart gets the most amazing feeling. During the feeding program I was keeping an eye on the kids in the water and the toddler on the blanket in the shade behind me. At one point I turn around and there is a boy about 12 and his little brother about 3 sitting with the toddler. The 3 year old was holding his cup for the toddler to drink and the older boy was holding him on his lap and reading the bible to them. That moment made the cleaning up the poop, scabies and not sleeping thru the night all disappear-my heart was smiling so big for that moment I couldn't think about anything else.

So I might not have the patience of a single mother or the grace of one either but I have been blessed in so many ways during this time getting to serve a single mother.