It's funny the way
people influence your life. Words they may say, how they treat you, whether or
not they keep your trust, etc. But sometimes, a person can say something about
their own life and without even knowing it, they touch your life. Sometimes the
words they say, make you think more about your own life and how you are influencing others. It isn't a direct influence on your life by what they said, but an
indirect influence by making you take a step back and look at the bigger
picture that is your life, and in looking at it, gives it more meaning.
That is exactly what
happened to me this week. There were some visitors that came to serve for the
week, and I believe that they were here for the staff just as much, if not
more, than for the kids. They couldn't communicate with the students directly
because they didn't know sign, but they did ask how to say some things, and
they spent a lot of time talking to us. The one women was sharing some things
about her own life and what she does/how she spends her time. It was only a few
sentences that was said, and shortly after she connected it with my life in the
fact that I am doing what she does, which is influencing lives of young people.
The way she said it, and the words she used, really made me realize even more,
that my role here is very important. Even before she said anything about me
personally (because later she reassured me in what I am doing), I was inspired.
I made that connection in my role here. And then she encouraged me in the service I am doing with the
children.
I was taken back for
a minute. I just sat there and thought about how right she was, and about my
time here so far, and how much of an influence I really AM to these kids. It
makes my life seem of more importance now. Now, I know/knew that what I am doing
does have an influence on their lives, but sometimes, in the everyday routine
of things, you look past it, or you wonder if what you are doing really is
working, changing them for the better. But hearing it from someone else, and
how they are working in children's lives, made me evaluate my life, which then
made me see how much of a change the kids have had since being here and that I
had a part in that. :)
This week was a busy
week!! But I am so glad that it happened the way it did! The visitors made
lunch all week for us, painted our laundry room, cut our hair (the one women is
a professional), did other miscellaneous stuff, and most importantly, encouraged
and touched our lives. It was hectic, but it was lovely, and very much needed
and appreciated. It was hard to say goodbye today, but we promised that it
wasn't goodbye, but see you later. It's amazing how a person/people can touch
your life in just 5 days. They weren't even here throughout the whole week!
They stayed at a hotel in San Juan, so their service to us wasn't an all day
thing like some visitors/teams that come and stay here are. And even still I
feel as though they were here for longer. It's amazing how Christian's can feel
like family or as though we've known each other for quite some time just a
short time after meeting them. We really are family, brothers and sisters in
the Lord. We share that common bond of knowing Him, and that is what makes us
feel so close. My heart is blessed from having them here.
Today was even a more
hectic day as we had more visitors- a group of children from a small Christian
School on the other side of the island. There were about 12-15 people in all,
filling the cafeteria to the max. It was lovely! But it definitely set our
normal school day out the window. ;) I think a good time was had by all,
needless to say. It was great to have more kids, and being able to interpret
for all of them, hearing kids to deaf kids, deaf kids to hearing, was just an
added bonus. I loved all the questions from their young, curious minds.
After saying
"see you later" to the visitors who were here all week, they invited
Kathryn and I to the rainforest for a short trip to one of the falls. It was a
great way to end the week with them. Now I am just sitting on my porch looking
at the sky, kind of wishing I would have went to the beach with Amanda when she
left ;), but reflecting on the week and enjoying the 'silence.' I use quotes
because it is never silent here. There are sounds of planes, cars, music,
bikes, dogs, birds, coqui (little frogs), crickets, etc. But it is a sound that
I have grown used to and hadn't even realized how loud it was until I went home
a few weeks ago for one of my closest friends' weddings and laid in my bed and
heard virtually nothing. The sounds, most of them, are part of the beauty here
also.
The serenity of this
place is awesome. It's been a while since I sat on the porch and looked at the
sky. I have forgotten how beautiful it is. And being in the rainforest today
just gave me another minute perspective of God. I wish we had more time to just
sit and enjoy. But the small amount of time that was spent there was very
rewarding, and a visit will happen again.
Tomorrow is busy with
a 3 hour drive to the mountains for a 2 hour visit/baby shower for a deaf
teenager and her family and then a 3 hour drive home. Monday is a holiday, so
we get an extra day of rest!! Yay!!! And that is how the rest of my weekend
will be spent-with rest. No real plans, and sometimes that is nice. :-)
Heavenly Father, I
praise You for Your Holiness and Faithfulness. You are so worthy, and greatly
to be praised. Father, I praise You for the way You use others in our lives, to
help encourage us, to help us realize things, and to just be a listening ear.
Lord, I thank You for the visitors that we had this week, and also the ones we
had a few weeks ago. Thank You for their willingness to serve You by serving
us. Lord, I pray that You bless their lives, as they have blessed ours. Thank
You for the reminders of different things that You send our way throughout the
days, weeks, months. You are just so Good!
