This pequenito light of mine: Beautiful Children

Today as I was crossing the street to enter the woman's prison a little girl came running up behind me and asked me where I was going and what I was doing. I told her I was going inside to do the weekly bible study - ok - she said and continued to walk with me. "Are you going with?" I asked her. Yep. "You won't be bored?" Nope. Ok. So I took her into the prison with me, not knowing anything about her except that she came from the afternoon program for kids that live or have lived in the prison with their parents.

She sat next to me the entire time, looking up verses along with everyone else and when she got bored singing worship songs under her breath. We held hands as we all prayed and peeked at each other once in a while. On our way out of the prison she began to tell me more about herself.

"I live in the other prison with my dad. We have a kids room and a laundry room and soccer field, it's much bigger." She said. Wow - I had thought she lived in this prison, but I was mistaken, she lives in the male prison and explained that she didn't have to re enter until 4 p.m. It was 3:45. So we decided to go back to the center - during the walk I learned some more about Mariol. She is 9 years old and has been living with her dad in the prison for 2 years. I asked her how much longer. "20 years. But maybe we can lower it to 15 or even 10!" She talked about her life as if it was normal - to her it is normal. I held her hand as we walked back and all I could think about was how amazing this little girl is. God has been moving my heart these past few days as I meet more people and get to know ministries better.

Just yesterday I met another little boy whose parents were glue sniffers. Both of them are deceased and he now lives with his aunt and grandmother in a very poor neighborhood. His clothes were torn and shoes well worn as he joyfully showed me 5 puppies that him and his friends take care of. They take care of the dogs so well, making sure they are fed and held well. They worry about the dogs and want to keep them safe and when I saw this I was amazed at how God uses animals such as these to keep these boys so happy and occupied.

Ariel - "I LOVE dogs. I want 10 dogs when I am older"

Just today we were hiking a hill with the kids from the orphanage and the entire time they worried about their dogs and giving them water. They even brought a separate water and bowl for the dogs because they knew from previous experience that I wouldn't want to share our "human water" with the dogs until all "humans" are fed. They like to argue with me that dogs are more important than humans. I didn't like pets before I came here, but they are growing on me. They can be used in such amazing ways to lift the spirits of people and give kids that don't have much something to look forward to and good reasons to be joyful.

I don't quite know what God is doing in my heart, but he is doing something big. I feel overwhelmed with joy and instances such as those described above have really touched my heart. While I am excited to see people back home, there is so much need here, and I am just beginning to see how God might use me. I don't quite know what this all means, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to hold hands and share smiles with these kids that God loves so much.

Alison