“It will be our love, not our opinions, which will be our great contribution to the world.” – Bob Goff
For all of the programs and educational opportunities we create for the vulnerable children we serve, there is no greater piece to our ministry than love.
Our Home of Hope families in Haiti live this out in a very clear way. Children who have been orphaned, exploited, child slaves, abandoned or who were severely at-risk are brought from desperate, lonely places to the safety and security of a family. And often for the first time, these children start to see that they can be more than they ever dreamed of. They get an education. They get countless opportunities and specialized help to become all they can be. But the foundation of all of that is the love and support they receive every day from their parents, staff and supportive church families that pull together to raise these children in places where they feel loved and secure.
This foundational, transformative love shows up in the sleepless nights when a child wakes from a nightmare remembering their past abuse and a parent holds them close. It is evident in the counsellor that sits with a child who remembers being so afraid and alone. It’s in the local pastor who mentors and encourages children and makes them feel a part of a bigger community with a purpose. And it’s even in the family far away in the U.S. who prays for them every day and sends them pictures every Christmas to let them know they are well-loved.
For all the wonderful tools we can set in place for children to become all God wants them to be, this is by far the greatest. And it takes all of us.