Something lost behind the ranges.
Lost and waiting for you.
Go.
Rudyard Kipling, The Explorer
Yesterday I entered the gates of Romaniv orphanage for the last time before I head home. It was a typical day at Romaniv: we came, we taught, we left. But as I walked down the hall and out the door, it felt as though part of me was being left behind - anchored to the floor, waiting for my return.
You see - I came to Ukraine two months ago for one reason only: to continue building bridges of hope for children with disabilities who are neglected and forgotten. I came to help the organization, Mission to Ukraine, to grow not only in numbers but in quality and effectiveness of service for these children. I came to pour myself out in the hopes of triggering societal change by empowering children with disabilities and those that serve them.
But after two months of working with these orphans - boys that are lost in the shadows of Ukraine's countryside - I am beginning to see that it is not what I give them. It is what they give me. All this time I thought I was the one opening the door of opportunity. But instead I am finding that each moment spent in the presence of these lost boys stirs hope within my own heart. They teach me to slow down - to enjoy the simple things in life. They teach me that there is joy even in the midst of brokenness and sorrow. They teach me the true heart of Christ Jesus.
I am finally seeing that I am the one who is lost at times - lost in the blurred pace of life and endlessly searching for something just over the horizon of the moments yet to come. But thanks to the lost boys of Romaniv, I have found myself. And the lessons they are teaching me will forever be woven into the fabric of my life.
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