Pure Delight

It is currently rainy season here and it has rained almost every day that we have been here. It isn't an all day event always but it rains pretty hard for a few minutes and then the skies can clear up again just like that. Then sometimes it will rain really hard again a few minutes later. It can go on like that all day or it can be one big down pour and then be done for the day. Sometimes it pours without much warning. It can be bright sunny skies and then all of the sudden a minute later it can be raining cats and dogs. The difference is that it is a warm rain and is very welcome by most of us to cool things down a bit. Most of the time it is a bummer for the children when it starts to rain because that means all outside activities have to cease for the time being. We were up at the shelter on Sunday afternoon and it started to sprinkle a little. We all heard the little bells that mean it is time for the kiddos to come inside. As the kids were starting toward their respective homes we all of the sudden hear shrieks of joy and shouts of pure delight. There wasn't any lightening in the sky so the house parents decided to let the kiddos play in the rain for a little while. The sprinkles turned into a very hard down pour but that didn't stop the kiddos from enjoying themselves. The laughter and delighted shouts were pure joy to my heart. Hearing the sound of a child (or in this case, many children) enjoying oneself and giggling and laughing is the best sound in the world in my humble opinion. I am so thankful that each of the children at the shelter are safe and have a  reason to laugh and smile. They are being taught the hope that they have in Jesus no matter what their past looks like and the fact that they have a father in heaven who loves them very much. Mady asked what happens to all of the homeless people that live on the streets when it rains that hard. Well. Thats just it. They stay put. They have no where else to go. The questions coming from our kiddos are hard. I don't have the answers to all of them. One thing I do know though, is that God is good. ALL the time! Keep praying for all of us. Our family, and our extended family at the shelter. To God be the glory!

Here are a few pictures of their fun afternoon. I wish I could have captured just how hard it was raining a little better but it was hard to do so. Enjoy! (and no I did not partake in the dancing in the rain, I just sat and watched and simply enjoyed the moment with a big smile on my face and a bigger smile on my heart and thanking God for allowing me to witness the joy of the children that afternoon).