love.

How do I even begin to describe the kind of love I have for these people? It seems impossible but I must try.

This group of people who are so different then me - yet love me deeply despite my differences. Despite my cultural ignorance. Despite my frustrations and high emotions and general craziness. Despite my poor Spanish, my constant tiredness, my misunderstandings. Despite my craziness, my embarrassing moments, my terrible dancing. Despite the fact that they have known a deep poverty that I will never truly wrap my mind around. Despite the suffering they have passed through 

- homeless, abandoned, abuse, living in cars, lack of food, broken families, molestation, rejection from church, unsure sometimes of where their next meal would come from - 

the kind of brokenness and despair I have never experienced. 

These people - my people - love so whole heartedly, so unconditionally. They all too often are the arms and feet and eyes and words of Jesus for me. They speak such deep wisdom. They share such wide joy. In the midst of the deep darkness they came from - they shine with the light of Jesus. Through their words and actions hope unfolds before me, sunlight dancing across the weary shadows of my soul.

How do I even begin to describe the kind of love I have for these people? Well, I begin by describing their love for me. I begin by telling their individual stories of pain and suffering and how Jesus reached out to them and touched their lives. I begin to tell you how their contagious joy touches the depths of my soul when I need it most. Oh, they don't even know.

As I sat on my flight, I opened the note. I read what each person had written and I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my face. My love for them grows even deeper as their words of truth and love touch the inmost parts of my heart. They heal me - these words of grace.

Without even knowing it, these people, these friends, this family - they pick up little pieces of my heart and glue them back together. And with each piece that finds its place again - love grows.