No Pictures

by Anna Valdez 4:14 PM 0 comments

This post will have no pictures. The glimpse I’m about to describe wasn’t a time when you could just pull out your camera and flash a few shots. No, all the images, sounds, words, and emotions had to be captured with only eyes, and stored in that place where you can pull it out when you need to remember why the heck you are in Mexico living with 9 teenaged girls.

When my leadership suggested I make use of Valentine’s Day with a little dorm activity, I was skeptical at first. I was too tired to put in the effort, and didn’t feel like dealing with girls who I thought would complain and just want to get to the chocolate. But I thought, If I do it, you have to bless it because I’m obeying, right God? And so, I convinced myself. Or rather, he convinced me.

Thank God for leadership. I don’t say that enough.

I posed  6 questions all about love: What is love? How do you express love? How do you like to be loved? What is something someone in the dorm does that you love? What do you love about this dorm? Who is someone in this dorm that you want to love more?

The answers amazed me.

I Love when others her help do the things I’m not physically able to do.

I love when we all sing in the car with Anna.

I love when Anna talks with me and gives me advice.

I like when people love me with hugs and words of encouragement.

I like to love people by giving the gifts.

I would love to get to know Anna more to love her more.

I love to spend time with Jenny.

I would love to love Daniela more.

I love that we have snack every night in this dorm.

I love…I love… I love…

I realized how they need to be loved. What they need and want from me. And thought, I have so much more to do.

Our day didn’t stop there.

I had a gift for everyone. As they came up to me to accept there gift in the midst of cheers, I told everyone of them face to face why I loved them and what I loved about them. I did not expect tears from them or me. God used some heart shaped candy and a snickers bar to connect with these 9 girls.

And they wanted more.

They wanted me to tell them what my favorite moment with each of them was and they wanted to tell me what my favorite moment with them was…so we did…and we laughed more, and cried more, and loved more.

It didn’t matter that earlier that week I got two phone calls from school or that I had a conference with the principal. All that mattered is that God had put us together. And whether we knew it or not, we loved each other.