A Little Post Trip

We have been a home now from Belize several weeks.  I really thought in my heart I would never stop blogging about our trip and the stories and our time spent on mission with our children.  However, I have been almost speechless.  Wordless at times.  I will tell you Belize is not far from our everyday conversations and still holds a large portion of my heart. The pictures line my coffee table at home.  It is sad not to have a countdown to Belize on my kitchen chalkboard.
 I can still hear the children at the school singing if I close my eyes. A few Sunday's ago, I was in our kids worship service and our kids were singing a song we sang in Belize.  I made eye contact with my daughter and she was grinning ear to ear.  Both of us thinking of the last time we sang that song.  Then a few seconds later she ran to me sobbing, I want to go back to Belize mommy, I miss my friends.  She begged my friend to take her back when she returned on a medical trip.  I was barely able to get out my lesson that morning.  Through tears I had to share with 5 and 6 year olds why my heart was broken.
My kids came home from the trip thankful to be home and yet missing their friends they met.  I will not tell you they were perfect angels on the trip.  But they tried new foods, loved on children and gave of themselves to others.  They did not rush home and want to sale all their toys but they have a point of reference.  When they don't like what mommy cooks for dinner they have a reference of children that are hungry.  When the air stays broken in our home for over a week (which it did) it was our son that said "well at least it will get fixed our friends don't even have an air conditioner."  It was my daughter that drew this picture at school of her dream.  This trip will be a part of His story He will tell through their lives.  Only God knows how He will use this trip in their lives and as a part of their testimony.  I know that they have a reference and heart that was stretched.

As a mommy, I encourage you to let your children experience mission work here in their world.  Don't wait until they are "old" enough to "fully" grasp what they are seeing.  I did not fully grasp what I saw in front of me and I am thankful for the Grace of God who bears the weight of it all.
I added links to the side of my blog - please continue to pray for our friends as you feel the spirit leads you.  Their walk, their struggles, their pain is changing me.