June 10 was our last day at Sagrada Familia foster group home. While we are glad to have the opportunity to meet more people and serve in different places, we were so sad to leave the awesome kids at Sagrada.

Knowing that they have already lost so much in their lives, we didn’t want the emphasis of our last day to be on our leaving. Instead, we threw a fiesta and made our goodbyes cheerful and subtle.

Our fiesta was simple: off-brand soda, Cheetos, animal crackers and little treat bags with three pieces of candy, stickers, bracelets, a bouncy ball, a coloring sheet and one crayon.

I was floored by their response. You would have thought we held a giant banquet and gave everyone a pony and $1,000. Some of the boys were speechless at the contents of their treat bag while others were so overwhelmed and excited that they couldn’t stop talking. I’ll never forget one little boy standing up and yelling, “Chicos! Chicos! Mira! Mira!” (Boys! Look!) as he held up his crayon. One crayon. The simplest gift really touched those kids and evoked such a joyful response. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

I was really happy with the ways things had gone. To be honest, I was proud of us. We had worked hard to gather gifts in the United States and we spent several hours putting those little bags together. I chose good gifts. They liked what I picked out. They thanked me.

Us. We. I. Me… And right there, in the midst of those self-centered thoughts, the Lord brought to mind a verse I had memorized years ago:

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?” (Matthew 7:11)

How quickly and how often I’ve been humbled on this trip. If we who are sinful and imperfect know how to pack a sweet treat bag, how much greater are the gifts that the Lord has in store for these children? The candy will be eaten and the crayons will be broken, but the gifts the Lord gives are good, perfect and eternal.

We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to show the kids that they are special and valuable, even if it was in a small way. Although our week with them may have been filled with small acts of kindness and love, we are confident that God can take the smallest act of love and multiply it, and he chooses to use us imperfect people to work through.

Hannah McSween is a Project Go Session One intern from Knoxville, Tenn. She is serving with Buckner in Peru.

To keep up with what our long- and short-term volunteers are doing with Buckner around the world this summer, check out the mission blog.

Prayers of the Week:
-God, convict us of our prideful thoughts and remind us that we are your instruments. We are only able to serve others by your power working in us.
-God, help us to remember that the gifts in our lives come from you. Let the Holy Spirit prompt us to be thankful always.

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