Bethania Student Center in Pasac L, Cantal

Note: This blog post was written Monday evening. It was posted today because I didn't have Internet access until now.

Unprepared. I’ve heard the stories many times of what it’s like to visit the children at a Compassion project. I’ve seen the pictures, even video, but I was unprepared. And actually, I don’t believe a person can be prepared. It knocked the wind out of me. As we drove up in the small rental bus many of the children were outside getting ready for us. The teacher was putting the final touches on a welcome sign above the school doorway and there was a lot of excitement in the air.

Then I looked into the faces of the children and it hit me. I was holding back the tears. I’m glad no one tried to talk with me much for the first hour or so we were there – I couldn’t have done it. I was choked up the whole time. Knowing what these children have been through and what they’re going through and still they laugh, play, and make faces for the camera.

The children with their teachers provided a wonderful program that included a lot of singing, poems, Bible verses, presentation of gifts to us, and so much more it’s hard to describe. It was very special for all of us visitors. But they wanted to make it clear, they were overwhelmingly grateful for our visit – and for our sponsorship. They told us how they pray for us daily – did you get that – they pray for us.

After the program several of us went with 8 year old Ilvia on what they call a home visit. She took us about half a mile to a home that had been wonderfully straightened and cleaned up for us, but to be blunt, many of us in America wouldn’t keep our farm animals in this place. It was a home, only because a family lived there and a family is what makes a home, not because the structure qualified for the title.

It was up on the side of a hill. The floor was dirt, the walls were some kind of adobe with stone. It looked like it may have been built a hundred years ago. There were three very small rooms (each maybe 8X10 feet). Two small beds in one, a small kitchen in one, and the third was filled almost entirely with a weaving loom. As we walked in you could hear the clunk of the loom. Turns out, 14 year old Elvin, the oldest in the family that’s still home, works at the loom weaving cloth 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. He sells the cloth to someone else who sells it at the market. He goes to school on Saturdays and Sundays he studies. He’s the primary income earner of the family.

There is no father – he passed away some time ago. There are 6 children in the family, 5 still at home. The mother, Victoriana, broke into tears as we walked up to where they live. She was crying tears of joy and thankfulness for our visit. While none of us in the small group were personally sponsoring her children, we represented the children’s sponsors. She hugged each of us and welcomed us in.

We talked with her (through an interpreter) for quite a while. It was an amazing experience. One I’m finding hard to relate here with a computer keyboard. She told us how she felt so alone (since her husband died) and how she has a lot of pain at times when it’s cold and damp with her bones. She broke into tears again as she was telling us this and as she wondered out loud, “God do you care, why is my family in this situation, are you punishing me?” As she talked, several of us began to tear up again – hearing the pain of a mother in this situation is a heart wrenching experience.

I was honored when the Compassion director with us asked if I would pray for the family. We all put our arms around each other and in a spirit of Christian love prayed together. It was an exceptional experience – an amazing experience – a once in a lifetime experience to be able to pray for them as the tears flowed from Victoriana’s eyes and heart.

We took a bunch of pictures together said good-byes and left to return to the school.

Back at the school I took some great video of the children singing songs to Jesus in their classrooms. What a great way to brighten things up! I hope to get the video footage on Positive Life Radio’s website. I’ll keep you posted.

So at the end of the day, I’m physically very tired and emotionally exhausted. It’s going to take some time for my mind and heart to process all I’ve seen.