The next day the men went off to work mixing and pouring concrete and cutting rebar for the new church structure. The women had a classroom filled with children from the neighborhood who eagerly awaited us. I spent five amazing days with some of the most beautiful children I have ever seen. Parents had dressed them in their best clothes and the children were dazzling in their native and natural beauty. We had activities planned and had brought lots of donated toys to give them. They hugged us. They tugged at us. And some parents brought very sick children to us and asked us to pray for them.

Life has so many twists and turns and often we get caught in a web of superfluous perspectives. It is my belief than when you are at your lowest ebb, volunteering in whatever way you can gives one a better, healthier perspective on issues of true depth. Several years ago Rich and I went on a Mission trip with a group of folks to the Dominican Republic. We worked in various capacities, but working with the children gave us an ultimate joy. These children had so little in the …