The Love Shown by a Crayon

A blog by Jeff Lee

For the last few months we have visited an orphanage near our house as a family.  We spend Saturday afternoons playing games, coloring, playing with play dough and other really simple things.  The first time that I visited with the kids I felt a little nervous.  Alicia had been going for a number of months, so the kids were used to her, but I was a new person, and I think more odd was that fact that I was a guy.  They did not talk to me.  I tried to interact with the kids, but it was difficult.  Over time I have seen a slow change in how these children have begun to interact with me.  I began to truly care for these kids.  I still get nervous every time I go and visit them, but that is a lack of confidence on my part.  I also have noticed them see me in a different light.  I think that they can see that I care about them.  They know that I cannot understand them very well, but that does not stop them from speaking to me and asking me to draw them a picture.  
 

Today they asked me to draw a rabbit and an Easter basket for them.  They did not care that I am not a good artist and my rabbit is just a smiley face with big ears.  While I was drawing rabbits one of the little girls came over to show me a picture of a heart that she drew.  I told her that it was beautiful, in poor Macedonian, but she repeated herself a few times, and on the fourth time I finally understood what she was saying to me.  She told me that she drew it for me.  It was amazing!  It blows me away that they would want to gift something to us! 

 

The orphanage needs many things. Many of which require tangible or monetary donations.  We aren’t there to meet those sorts of needs. We know that to some, what we offer is of little value but we aren’t there for them.   We are there for the children and it means a lot to them.  Showing love to a child is simple. It’s not about the crayons we bring. It’s coloring WITH them while they create masterpieces.  It’s not about the play-doh we bring. It’s about sitting RIGHT next to them while they design works of art.  It’s about being consistent in spending time with them. It’s about BIG hugs just because they need one, or two.  It’s about showing love to the “least of these.”  Being the presence of Christ is about being present.