The Musings of a guy in a Lungi

First of all, youre probably wondering what a Lungi is. Its a skirt-like tube of fabric that the men here in Bangladesh wear by wrapping it around you. It's very comfortable in the heat here and the locals sometimes refer to it as clothes with a built in air conditioning.

As Loren mentioned yesterday was our last day at Missionaries of Charity Home of Compassion in Tejgaon, and we will have two more days at the Shishu Bhavan Home. Both the homes have been described to you so I am sure you are somwhat familiar with them. In both of the homes I was able to work with the children all with differing levels and intensities of physical and mental disablities. Being with these children has been such a filling and wonderful experience which in only two weeks has been so rewarding and full of love.

In my experience with different missions and volunteer projects I have had oppurtunities to work with children with different disablities, but none have come to comparison with the involvement I have had with these kids, and the lasting impact they have had on my life. The paradox of missions is that we go to give and serve, yet we recieve so much from the people that we meet.

In my previous contact with people who have disablities, there seemed to always be a disconnect with me being able to become close to or build any relationship with them. However, these past two weeks I have realized how much I have been missing. Each of these children have been so wonderful, unique and so special to be with. Through playing, feeding, physical thearpy, and helping the sisters and other workers I have seen the beauty and simplicity of the love of Christ. It is amazing how by just holding a childs hand, singing to them, or praying over them how your heart jumps with love. My heart fills with joy for a couple seconds every time that one of these children look over and smile at me realizing that I am there to be with them; or the smiles and laughter of a child as you help them make an attempt to walk. One of my especially favorite times of the day has been sitting down with a childs head in my lap and feeding them, as some of the children have to lay flat on their backs due to digestion and spinal deformities. The food is rice based so we ball up little scoops of rice with our fingers and then we place it in there mouths. I'm sure all you mothers know though that feeding is never that easy. You find that each kid etst differently, some are super easy to feed, some need encouragment where I would say Cow Bhat Cow, meaning eat rice eat! Some are just having too much fun and you just have to find times to feed inbetween the laughing. Food time is always a good time.

I realized that what was keeping me so distant before was that I always had pity on people with abdormalities and handicaps, and it was that pity that kept me at a distance and mabye even fearful. However, the pity I should have been having was on myself for not having the reckless love, uncontrolable joy beyond circumstances, trueness to self and unending affection that I have seen in each and everyone of the children at these homes. When I look into the eyes and smiles of these children I see the eyes and smiles of our Creator God.

My prayer is that I will learn to be like these, the children of love, and allow it to transform my life to have faith like a child.

Blessings,
Josh Rodgers