A Tisket, A Tasket, Yahir's Special Basket

When Nick was little, he used to come home from school and proudly present me with his latest construction paper masterpiece. It was his life's work and he was more than thrilled to give it away. To a mom, those crayon scribbles and drops of glitter glue are precious. Of course, its not the value of the components or the artistry of the work. No, the joy of such a gift is knowing that someone that you care about thought of you. It's confirmation of precious and meaningful relationship.

As passionate as I am about the importance of our ministry in El Nido, I must admit that I sometimes question if it really makes a difference―if I make a difference. This thought is especially on my mind as we prepare to leave El Sembrador. We've had such precious few moments with the students and I can't help but wonder if they've even mattered. It can be an overwhelming and heart-breaking reflection at times. Thankfully, the Lord knows my thoughts and my insecurities. So this week He sent Yahir bounding into El Nido with a little treasure in his pocket. With a big grin, Yahir pulled out a tiny handmade basket and offered it to me. "I made this for you," he exclaimed before hurrying past the desk to meet his friends at the ping pong table.

I don't know what kind of impact we've had at El Sembrador, much less the nation of Honduras. But now I know that God has used us this year. And I have a little basket on my coffee table that reminds me that we've been building more than a rec room. We've been building relationships.