It's been a month and a half that I've been sitting silent here on my blog and now it's time to break the silence. First I just want to say "thank-you" to those of you who have been praying for me and my family regarding the situation with my Mom. Having all of this dropped on me right before my vacation....flying home and only having three weeks to try and start processing what this is going to mean for all of us and then returning here only to find the enemy waiting to bombard me with a bunch of emotional/spiritual stuff to deal with.....not fun times. Yet as I said before.......Jesus is with me.....in everything.
Anyway......I have something I wanted to post almost two weeks ago and it's just been sitting on the shelf sort of speak and it's time to actually write about it.
I returned out to Ilha Bela and Vila Esperança the second week of February. I decided that during this month I would put together games and activities and then we would get started with another book at the beginning of March. Anyway I figured since it had been almost two full months since I had seen the kids they would probably ask about my vacation.
My vacation.....what would I say? Would I pretend that everything was fine and omit the fact that it was not only a beautiful time with family but also extremely difficult? Or....would I be completely open and tell them everything? I believe there are times when it is best to keep silent about some things and then there are the moments when we need to open up.
I decided ahead of time that if they asked I wouldn't hold anything back.
I've talked about this situation enough times now that I don't get emotional yet I have to say something significant took place with the afternoon class in Ilha Bela. This class had some new students and I could see they were excited to be there and be apart of the class. Then the question came......and I started explaining....except this time I started getting emotional.....something I did not want to do and I told them as such. I could see from the looks on their faces especially the older ones that they understood the seriousness of the situation. Then it happened......one of the new students who happens to be named Emily (same name as my youngest niece) asked a question.
"Didn't you become depressed because of what is happening with your Mom?"
Isn't it interesting how God shows up in the most unexpected places and puts an opportunity right in front of us?
My response: "Sure, I became sad when I found out....but a person who is depressed is a person who has no hope. I have God and He is with me in this situation. I have God therefore, I have hope."
What followed was a moment in which I could sense something spiritually significant was taking place as those kids were taking in my words......and my faith in God.
Terrible things happen and because we live in this present world there isn't a single one of us who is immune to tragedy. The question is what will be our response in the face of tragedy? Our response will reveal what we truly believe about God.
And the world is watching.
Shellita, your post brought tears to my eyes! I'm sure it is because we've been through so many things together and I know your family so well. But mainly because I was proud...proud of your students' mature responses and proud of your openness which allowed God to use your students to minister to you for a change.
I love you and continue to hold you up in prayer in these days.
Posted by: Shirl Roehl | February 28, 2012 at 05:46 PM
My friend... I feel your pain and I want you to know I will be praying. You are right...you're not alone. You have your family, you have your friends and most importantly you have God to lean on. Lean away...He can handle it!
Love you!
Chris
Posted by: Christine Thiessen | March 06, 2012 at 01:54 AM