It’s Sunday afternoon and Joni and I sit in the garden enjoying the sunshine. There’s a faint sounds of windchimes and chirping birds coupled with a gentle breeze – we must be loved.
On top of preparing for our many girls’ events, we have had two children’s clubs and a church service so far this weekend. The children’s clubs have gone very well and each child is becoming so precious to me. Though we are finding ways to communicate across the language barriers, they simply want to be touched and loved and told they’re valued. It seems the love language of Uruguayan culture is quality time. Time, routines and schedules are never an issue and social gatherings do not come with an ending time. Last night, we stayed at the church until after midnight talking, laughing and listening to music with the youth. Several of the youth then went to a quinceanera party (a gigantic 15th birthday party for a young woman) where they stayed until 5 o’ clock this morning. (Never fear, Joni and I were both at home and asleep by 1 o’clock. J) It sounds crazy, but the youth still came to church this morning to serve in the children’s club. People are of the utmost value here.
As we were discussing this asset of the Uruguayan culture last night, Claren pulled a large rock off the mantel and began comparing it with the Uruguayan people. Though the rock was hard, unattractive and dirty on the outside, we have to chip away the outside to find the core. She turned the rock around revealing its interior, which was full of gleaming purple amethyst stones. Though people can be hard, unattractive and dirty on the outside, we must be persistent to remember that there is marvelous, invaluable beauty on the inside. Christ makes all things beautiful, and “whenever anyone turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away,” (2 Corinthians 3:16)
Joni and I received matching amethyst stones to remember the interior beauty of the people of Uruguay. And there is so much beauty just yet to unveil …
“The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be!”
–Zechariah 9:16-17
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