John...a beautiful boy

I'm still at Canaan's...I think this is where I left my heart. I don't know why. I saw conditions much, much worse and these children are fed, clothed and cared for at this orphanage. But God moved in mighty ways during my time at Canaan. It's where I think I saw Him and heard Him most clearly.

Sunday afternoon as we were leaving, I saw a boy leaning against the wall. He had crutches and it was apparent that his feet were crippled. He looked somewhat sad to me. I wondered about his story.

Monday afternoon when Pastor Isaac picked me up...I had a list of questions for him (not literally...just in my head). I asked him about John. John is 16 and John had polio. This is his story from the website.

John is from Buziika and he walks on crutches. Both parents are alive but they could not pay school fees for him. On one of the church missions, one of our missionaries decided to take care of John so he was brought to Canaan. John is doing very well and has always been the brightest pupil in his grade each year. He likes drawing pictures and writing.

John and I didn't interact very much on Monday. At one point, I looked over and he was standing by himself and once again my heart just became tender for him. I went and talked to him and asked him what he wanted to do with his life. He wants to become a bank manager. I talked to him for awhile and told him that he was fearfully and wonderfully made and that God loved him and that there wasn't anything he couldn't do with God's help. I told him that God had big plans for his life. I prayed over him and then I did what you're probably not supposed to do with a 16 year old teenage boy. I kissed him all over his face and hugged, hugged, hugged his neck. He might have thought I was crazy, but I did it anyway.

And then because God is so sweet and kind to me, John found me before he left. He gave me a note and this is what it said:
Dear Friend:
Thank you for coming to Canaan and I think by God's grace you will come back to Canaan again and give you this note for so that you remember me in your minds and pray for me and I will also pray for you. Please remember me on this.
From John

And then he had me write down my name and he said, "I'll pray for you".

I hugged him and kissed him again and got on the bus. God blessed me and brought joy to my heart through John. I think I'm going to frame the note...just so I always remember that God shows up and speaks in all different kinds of ways. Sometimes it's through a 16 year old boy in Uganda.