An excerpt from Mexico mission journal.....

I just came across this today and remembered that day...another heart song straight from the Father ...

 On the day that we left,  a liitl girl named

Erika came to me and hugged me.  She looked up at me

and said "I want Jesus in my house".  During the week

that we were there, Erika helped us translate to her

nieghbors and friends who did not know English.  She

smiled ALL the time.  She laughed more than anyone

else.  She offered to help carry things and was never

short of kisses and hugs for everyone.  I would guess

that she was around 10.  

On the last day when she came

to hug me, she wasn't smiling.  She said "I want Jesus

n my house".  I felt so helpless.  She knew we were

leaving in a few minutes.  Leaving Mexico.  Going back

to America.  She was hanging on to me for dear life. 

She buried her face in my shirt and started to cry. 

We had ministered to so many.  A construction team had

worked non-stop on the church while we were there.  We

had shared bible stories and the good news of Christ. 

We had given supplies and toys and crafts.  God had

used us so much.  

Still, as I held onto Erika, all I felt was fear and 

hopelessness.  This was the last real moment of trust 

God had in store for me.  I had  to let her go.  I had to trust Him. 

He was the difference maker.  I held her as long as I could as

tighly as I could.  My three sweet highschool girls

that I roomed with noticed us and gathered around us. 

Toghether we prayed for Erika and for God's plan for

her life.  This is our prayer to Him, though Him, for

Erika.  Later, it became my heart song for missions.

  When I see and feel the pain so deep,

  I want to lend a  hug to heal the hurt, 

  the pain that is so real to me. 

   

  I want to be washed and clothed and soaked in the

blood,

  the Love the lasting Love,

  The healing blood. 

   

  As I wrap my arms around them, Lord... I pray

aloud...

   

  I pray…..

  Let my arms be your arms,

  Let my heart that breaks with your mercy gift,

  Be healed by Your embrace not mine

  Make me an instrument of comfort

   

  As I hold Your Child whose brokenness I cannot mend,

  With a servants heart I won’t pretend 

  to have the answers I know You know

  But, let my tears fall down in honor of the healing

that begins with                

  this prayer.

   

  Let my arms be your arms,

  Let the love that passes between our embrace

  Be the Love passed down from You

   

  Let me be Christ to them