Mi Corazón Esta Aquí by Suzanne Kebanli

If someone had asked me a year ago if I would consider going 2,000 miles away from home for a mission trip I have no idea what I would have said. After this trip, I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll be back again. For the past few months, all I’ve been able to talk about is mission work, mission work, and more mission work. Something I had been struggling with for a while was whether or not mission work was part of my plan for my future or part of God’s plan. I know now that it is something I am being called to do. It sounds cheesy, I know, but I really believe this is what I am supposed to do. What is better than spreading the love that God shows us every day to His other children in this world who may not get to experience it like we do?

I loved being with these kids for 5 days. I always do VBS at church at home and get close to the kids there but this was completely different. I asked God before we left for Ecuador to help me show His love to these kids, but I prayed specifically to become buddies with a few little boys. At VBS at home, I always hang out with the little girls because they are silly and girly like me, but I knew I needed to be put outside my comfort zone this week. And I definitely was. The Lord answered my prayer immediately because on the first day of VBS I had 8 (yes, eight) little boys all over me the entire time. I could not be happier!!

Their names were Isaac, Javier, Jostin, Jordan, Camilo, Ricardo, Jheremy, and Jorge. They hardly ever left my side all 4 days of VBS and I was so happy to love on them. I realize now that I was able to show them so much love for one reason, and one reason only: Christ has unconditional love for me, and He wanted me to show that to those boys. Something that stood out to me the most was their trust for me. I’m a girl from America, I have never met these kids before, my Spanish isn’t the best, but these kids could care less. Everyone keeps saying that the kids are lucky to have met us and to have us here with them for the week. I definitely agree witth that, but I honestly think that we are more lucky to have met them then they are to have met us. They taught me so much about havig “trust without borders” and unconditional love and there is no way I could ever thank them enough. Little Jorge was sitting on my lap and I said “Jorge, quien es tu mejor amigo?” (Who is your best friend?) and he turned around and pointed to me…wow. It was at that point I realized that this is what I want to do. Saying goodbye to them today was the most difficult thing I have ever done. I love these boys and girls with all my heart and I never ever want to leave them.  “Mi corazón esta aquí” means “my heart is here”- with Ecuador, with these kids, and with Jesus.