A Beautiful Sight

Never before have I seen children with such a passion to know God as these. It is truly remarkable watching each day as they fall on their needs and seek to know the heart of God better. Thomas and the older children wake up each morning around 4am for prayer and Bible study. At about five thirty the younger kids get up and all have another Bible study together. Then their tutors come and they study until breakfast. They get ready for school, get the little kids ready, do some chores and then school at nine. They accomplish so much in the mornings and still begin their days by spending time with the Lord.These kids know how to pray. They are being trained and brought up in the ways of the Lord and know that He is sufficient for all of their needs. Not a day goes by where they do not pray. Not a day goes by where they do not praise the Lord. Not a day goes by where they don't spend time in the Word. What an incredible challenge it has been to me to have even a portion of the faith that these little ones do. They pray for their sponsors, the board, the staff, and so many others by name. Even the little ones like Moses are prayer warriors; he is not even two years old.

These kids also know how to praise the Lord! They sings songs in Telugu, Hindi, and English and are so joyful in all that they do.

I am so humbled by them. I look at my own life and desire so much to have the passion that they do. I am learning that it is something you must learn and something that you must choose to have within yourself. These kids don't just go through the motions -- they know that their prayers are being answered every day and that one much greater then themselves is watching out for them. They know that God has a beautiful future in store -- something much greater than they could have ever dreamed.

I wonder what the church in America and around the world if more kids were brought up with such a passion and zeal for the Lord. These kids are not taught to love Jesus by the school system. They did not learn how to pray or worship from a church or youth group. These kids have been surrounded by abandoned, neglect, death, and poverty their entire childhoods. Yet, they have hope for bright futures. They are happier then most kids I see in America who have grown up in the church. They are taught by the ones who raise them now-- Thomas and the other staff -- to stand firm in their faith and live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a challenge to me as I think about the kids that I desire to influence and teach now and in the future. It is too easy to pass the responsibility of teaching our children the ways of the Lord onto others. These kids are living proof of what can happen when you truly invest your life into teach these little ones to follow the straight and the narrow.