My heart began to break as I visited some of our students from a village called Minoterie. I sat on wooden beds with no comfort. I stood in homes where it was hard to breathe due to the unrelenting heat. I had passed by this village many times and had heard of its poverty, but had never seen the depths of it firsthand. Well, until now.
As we pulled up to the village, we turned down a dusty road towards his home. Together we got out of the truck, and with a brilliant smile, he lead me inside. I could not help but notice the effort put into the decorations on the walls. This part of the house was made of cement and seemed like a stable structure. He told me he lives with his mother and 4 siblings, his dad lives elsewhere.
I asked where he slept, and he pointed to the other room. We walked in and I immediately noticed the temperature difference. It was hot. I saw two beds and a make-shift kitchen. The walls were made of tarps with a tin roof. I asked which bed he slept on, and he pointed to the one on the left. I sat down and immediately felt the discomfort of what he sleeps on night after night. I asked if he sleeps well on this wooden bed, and he replied with no. “I never would have known due to your big smile…it must be because of Jesus,” I said; and he replied with a smile, a head nod, and a yes.
This young soul, in that moment, captured my heart more than he already had. Ever since I met him, I was captivated by his big, beautiful smile. It is dangerously contagious; and even on the worst of days, you cannot help but smile in return. He radiates incredible amounts of joy, and I am positive it comes from Jesus.
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