Summer of Smiles

Happy Monday!!

Today I want to share a bit of my summer thus far.

This summer I've been working with urban youth children. And I absolutely love it. Each day is something different with a different group of kids. I'm primarily a "health" role person, along with another girl, and we go around to our different sites and teach health. This ranges from dental care, every day exercise, to how much sugar is in a soda. 

The kids are brilliant and know more than most adults. 

My favorite moments with them come when we're being silly playing four square, dodgeball, or even hunting salamanders in the Great Smoky Mountains. I've truly learned over these past few weeks what unconditional love looks and feels like. It didn't take longer than a week for these kids to trust me, and not much longer for me to fall for their sweet toothless smiles. I may have turned into a bit of a soccer mom with all the gear currently in my car, and learning camp songs so we can be entertained. And I may always be joked about with my friends because all I do is talk about "my kids". But really these kids feel as if they belong to me, and I only hope every one can experience the love and brilliance children have.

Watching one child silently give up their ziploc baggy only so another can catch salamanders brings my heart warmth.

I can't believe all these kids have silently been teaching me this summer and now its about to end. I plan on spending as much time as possible loving on these sweet faces over the next days & hopefully being more like Jesus to them as they have been to me. 

cooking camp

Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."