Today I received one of the sweetest letters I've ever received...it was from one of my students in Honduras. He sent it through a volunteer who was making a trip to the US. His name is E, he was one of my 10th grade students. He's a very kind kid who is absolutely in love with science. He's very intelligent, studious and dreams of being some kind of pilot, well particularly he would love to be a part of the US Air Force. He would always ask me if I knew about certain Air Force stations or types of planes or different types of nanotechnology and the majority of the time I had very little idea what he was talking about, or had never heard of the place. But I tried to listen and encourage him as much as I could, for I have always loved learning and loved Biology in high school, so I know what it is like to be captivated by a subject and be intrigued by science. Because of his love of science and studying it often hindered him in making friends. He spent most recesses reading a science book by himself or walking alone. In several of his English projects or small assignments he was quite open with me about his relational struggles and aware of how his serious, studious personality hindered him. It was sad to read what he wrote about having few friends, feeling like he was always failing in friendships and not always knowing why and how he has accustomed himself to being alone. But everyone needs love...and what continually humbles me is how just a little love to those who receive so little can mean more and do more than we imagine. I was no heroine, or mother Teresa in loving E. I did not go out of my way to find great ways of loving him. But simple words of encouragement, printing off pictures of airplanes for him and hugging him though he didn't really know how to give a hug meant more to him than I ever thought. When I read his letter to me today, I couldn't hold back the tears from pouring down. He unashamedly expressed how Christ's love through me had impacted his life. I feel so humbled that God chose to use me to impact this boy's life. And feel so broken that the little love that I gave him was more than he had ever received before. Oh how beautiful that God calls us to love the least of these for it truly is unto Him.
Here are a few of E's words (translated):
"Thank you for encouraging me in what I want to become. I certainly see God through you, and that makes me see that I need Him. I consider you my friend...although you may not have noted it you are a person that I love very much...thank you for all that you did here at Emmanuel: being a teacher, caring for little girls, sharing the word of God, being our friend and our support...honestly you are the only person with whom I have experienced true affection. The pictures of the airplanes encourage me more and more everyday that I see them to become what I long to be. Thank you for encouraging me in this way."
He wrote a lot more but I won't share it all...his words humble me tremendously. They make me sad that the little I gave him was so much to him. But they make me grateful that I serve a God who loves through us and impacts lives by His love that we can never foresee and make me feel so blessed that God loves to bless my heart with words of love and encouragement.
I hope that this encourages you to love those who are not loved and to believe that God works deeply in the hearts of those whom He touches through our small and feeble efforts.
Please also pray for E, he has one year left in high school at Emmanuel. Pray that God provides a way for him to pursue his dreams.
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