One Word Definition?

If you charged me to define these past weeks for you with a single word I would give you the word “visitors”. It is, in these past weeks at Sheltering Wings, that we have received many visits. Teams, families and friends have come through our doors and it’s been a thoroughly exciting time.
I can’t begin to tell you everything these visitors bring us because the list would be simply too long. There are the tangible things: gifts for the children, workers or sometimes a tasty North American treat for us. However more than the tangible these visitors bring the intangible: they invest their time and energy in pouring out into the lives of those within the walls of our courtyard.
I have been working, alongside the other short terms (and Ruth of course!), to help facilitate these groups that come through our doors. This year knowing the busy schedule that was ahead for SW I knew before arriving in Burkina this would be a part of my “job description” even if I couldn’t have told you how I would be helping to facilitate the teams.
The biggest thing we do as a team is cook! Whether it’s meals for 17, 10 or just 6 we get the food on the table. This leads to the occasional stressful moment (like when the beans just won’t cook to soften) but mostly it’s a pleasure figuring out what too cook with the ingredients currently available. Sometimes we help translate conversations for our non-French speaking visitors, or go with them to the market to find fabric or flipflops. Often we work alongside the teams on their projects or spend time with them and the kids.
I have thought through recently the idea of being here and facilitating others time here. I have recognized this work might not be the kind you think of when you think ‘working at an orphanage’ and may not give me funny stories to tell you, but it is all for God. He has asked me to be here, to help facilitate teams that are here to bless the orphanage, and for that I am thankful. It’s so cool, for me to see the way he orchestrates things, and I’m so glad I get to be a part of this.
These past weeks have been full of exciting and encouraging visits. In between I’ve worked on projects and spent time with our babies. I’m excited about what the next weeks of visits and in between times have to bring whether it’s cooking for teams, translating paperwork or for visitors, or working with our kids.