Spiritually Disabled

This week was a little different from most. Schedules were changed around in order to accommodate sickness and other meetings going on. Because of this, I was able to work in the other ministry location and go back to the after school program that I hadn’t been to in a while. It ended up being one of the most special days I’ve had here so far. There are several children in the slum that have leg deformities. Two of the girls are sisters, and the boy is from a separate family. The oldest girl can walk on her own, but the younger boy and girl have to scoot around or rely on others to carry them from place to place. While we were walking in on Wednesday, the boy wanted me to carry him, and the younger girl sat in my lap the whole time during the lesson. She even gave me her drawing she had colored after the lesson. Being there and having the opportunity to love, to hold, and even carry these children reminded me of something my friend Andie told me after her trip this summer to Kenya. After visiting a Mother Teresa orphanage for the mentally and physically disabled she related that to how we are spiritually disabled. She taught me a lot about this, but it wasn’t until i was with these children with physical disabilities that I understood for myself what this meant.

Psalm 23:1-4 says, “The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right path for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me”.

God showed me through this experience that it is impossible to live a holy life in this sinful world without him. We have to rely on him to provide for us, lead us, and sometimes even carry us on this path of righteousness. We as humans will fail in this world if we try to rely on others or even ourselves too much. We have to fully be dependent on God knowing that we are debilitated without him. Seeing how those children are physically dependent on the people around them, made me realize how I need to be in my relationship with God, dependent on him for every aspect of my life.

Blessings,
JL - Goa Volunteer