sometimes a picture is worth 1,000 words......or to me 1,000 tears

I have this incredible story to tell.  I have wanted to share it on my blog......I have shared it with a few friends face to face.  But I just feel that a picture is worth a 1,000 words and I have been longing to get my hands on these photos and share them and the story........because it is worth a 1,000 tears to me.  I get completely choked up thinking about this moment and remembering my heart ready to explode from my chest and the love I felt and the belonging and the brokenness and this overwhelming sense of peace. 

So last summer on our final day of HBS (Haitian Bible School) we did a craft project with the kids where we did hand prints.  We rolled out sheets of art easel paper and had cups of tempera paint and we let the children put their hand prints on the paper and write their name with colorful sharpies.  It was such a fun and awesome time to watch them get messy in the art and to see all of their hands together.

Needless to say, it was a little chaotic........150 kids to hand print, one table, lots of paint, 100 degrees and trying to stay semi-orderly.  But they nailed it! They are SO awesome when it comes to following directions and taking instructions.  They are eager to be near you and involved and to see what fun is in store.  So we have the table all set up and we are going to town........

There are a couple older guys that are helping to keep the children organized and the flow moving and it's going great.  Then I felt a tug on my hand and when I looked over Saint Fey was painting my hand red.......

I instantly began to swell up inside my heart.......I asked Saint Fey "what are you doing?"  To which he replied "You are one of us." With that, he placed my hand print on the sheet of paper with the hands of so many precious children who I have taken into my heart as MINE and it was confirmed to me that they too had taken ME in as THEIRS.  

It was incredible, amazing and such a humbling moment.  Because while I had already taken them into my heart and my prayers and was broken for them........I never knew how much I wanted and needed to be a part of them.  And I already was, I am......and now I have my hand print amongst theirs as a reminder that we are all ONE with Christ and we will never be truly separated because we will all be together when it's all said and done.