Blessings and Burdens from the children of Liberia

Contrast the best school in the country with one serving children who are orphans and you enter into the contrast of our day.

Children speak truths and ask questions in ways that break my heart for God and bringing me joy all at the same time.

The morning at JJ Roberts School we witnessed children who were eager to learn from the opportunities presented to them. One junior high girl told me she loved Geometry, a class studying culture shared what they were learning. Their learning: traditional African dance that made your feet tap and your body sway. The children take turns in the library, play on a sandy courtyard during recess and find their way to the computer lab. The need for Internet access and more text books would help them continue to maintain their status as one of two schools at the top of the list in Liberia. The pull of my heart was the eagerness and joy of the children desiring to learn.

This afternoon at the Judith Craig Orphanage pull of my heart was very different. The pull began as one beautiful little girl by the name of Mary Ann grabbed my hand and led me toward the houses. As Mary Ann showed me her “house” the darkness contrasted the bright sunshine outside. As we entered, at first, I didn’t recognize I was standing in a kitchen. We walked five steps to her “mother’s room” it was locked with a padlock. Mary Ann shared a small, dark room with three other girls. The boys room only had three beds. The bunk beds filled most of the space. In the other rooms were two and three beds respectively. The “family room” and kitchen were one in the same. Decorations from Christmas still were on the ceiling. As we went to the classroom building, I wanted to put Mary Ann in the car and bring her home. Before i could take another step, a little boy by the name of Blessing grabbed my other hand. He had that little twinkle in his eye that made me want to cause a little holy trouble together. I behaved (for once 🙂 As the three of us walked through the cinder block building with simple wooden desks and white boards that were over used, I wondered where the textbooks and toilets were located. I never found either. As we walked behind the school I asked Mary Ann what she would be doing if we were not here, she said “wash.” We walked near her older sister who also lived in her house doing wash with a washboard and bucket. The simplicity of life, the lack of want and the routine of their days was evident.

With Mary Ann holding tightly to one hand and Blessing holding tightly to the other, we walked around the mission. Blessing’s empty water bottle became an instrument. Music was his language. I asked him if he’d like to sing a song and a smiled emerged from ear to ear. “read your bible every day” he repeated as he sang through the verses of a song. As our time together was coming to a close, I had come to learn Blessing was little spit fire, a little whimsy, and certainly all boy. He was a Blessing indeed.

A blessing, for reminding me, once again, of what Jesus said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

The tug today began at my hand and ended in the depths of my heart. The kingdom was crying out all around us in the simple life and abundant beauty found at the orphanage. Because I’ve said it every day, I’ll say it again, more on that another day.

Like a child, I wept as soon as the doors of our car were closed and we waved goodbye. Again, on a Friday in Africa, a child who was orphaned wrecked me.

Only one of the children may have been named Blessing. But two who stood beside me today are a blessing. They may have grabbed my hand, but God knows it’s the children who speak to my heart. Such was the story of today.

Sometimes our greatest blessings are also the greatest burdens God lays on our heart.

We never end up the same.

MaryAnn and Blessing.