Young Thespians in Guatemala, July 19, 2011

Three of Dick’s kids who I know pretty well were having a play at their school today, and invited me to come along.  While this may not seem like a lot, I was thrilled that they wanted me there.  When I moved down here I was afraid that they might resent the time I spend working with Dick.  It seems now I’m becoming “one of the guys.” (I think that’s good!)

What really made my day, though, was that Elder, who usually is pretty stand-offish, crawled up on my lap without any coaxing, and seemed comfortable staying there for the rest of the play—even during the intermission time.  Elder is the youngest of all the kids who hang out at Dick’s regularly, and though he’s quite mature and independent, Dick and I both have worried about him.  His mother, who lives only a short distance from where he is living with another family, wants nothing to do with him.  I was grateful today to be able to give him whatever “mothering” I could.  And I was even more grateful for the affection he was willing to give me.

Guess I’m sharing this, not because it’s a big thing, but to remind all of us that most of missionary life is made up of the “little things.”  Relationships, friendships, sharing the everyday experiences of life.  Guess this isn’t really that different from what I was called to do back in the US.  What in reality we are all called to do each day—to the glory of God!