Los ninos de Peru (the children of Peru).

One of the loves I have developed in missions is for the children of each land. Seldom do they fear the things that we do. Crime and violence against them does not play out in most of their countries the way it does here (an attribute of our Sodom and Gomorrah type society). They are very open and strike up conversations assertively (like the one above).

Each opportunity the Lord has given us to travel to foreign lands, I end up taking many pictures of the children. They love it. They love the cameras and the images of themselves that few have seen before.

Trust is built very quickly, behind the lens. Especially, a digital or other types that allow instant viewing of photographs.

Each know they exist, but few have seen themselves on film. When they do, eruptions of laughter and increased posing, result. Viewing what they have known to be evident but have not seen brings much joy.

Recently, my aunt was meeting my cousin (her daughter) and her daughters (my aunts grandchildren) at a restaurant. She arrived after them. As she walked to the entrance, she found them staring to the heavens.

She followed their gaze, skyward. She saw nothing.

She asked what they were looking for. The youngest among them brought her up to speed.

She pointed in the direction of their viewing and relayed that she needed to find a little orange speck. She continued that she had released an orange balloon and it was rising ever higher.

She said she was sending it up to BJ and that it was a reminder to pray for Brent and Deanna.

In her youth, she understood that though he was no longer present on this earth, he dwelled in the presence of the risen Christ. She has prayed for him for a long time. This continued after his passing until her mommy explained that BJ no longer needed her prayer, but Brent and Deanna did. She has remained faithful since.

She sent a message to one she knows is present in a land she cannot see or touch, who resides with One who is Ever present.

Her view is not clouded by what she cannot see. Though she may watch what is visible until it is out of her minds ability to distinguish a presence, she has faith to realize her act has sent a discernible message.

While she may not know the chapter and verse of 2 Cor 4:18 by heart, yet, she understands the concept.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

We do not need to see proof on film or specks dancing in the sky to believe. We have faith in the One we cannot see, but know is Ever present!

dad