For Malvo and Ethan

One our first day of ministry I was wondering how big the kids would be and how they would receive us. When we arrived on site I was surprised at how young they were. We watched them as they watched us… it was as if they were sizing us up to see who they wanted to befriend. Pretty quickly into this process a young boy named Malvo came from across the room, dodging other kids and adults to make it to me. He was super quiet at first but he stayed there, right beside me. After about 10 minutes another boy, Ethan, came to my other side and grabbed my hand. 

These two became my companions over the next four days. Wherever I went, they were right beside me!

As I spent time with them I was amazed to see their personalities. Malvo was quiet and just wanted to sit and hold my hand. He was content drifting off into his own thoughts and head space. Ethan was the opposite. He was active and ready to play anything and everything. 

It was challenging to meet both of those needs at the same time but these little guys wouldn’t leave my side. Every day, they were there waiting on me and would come, each to one side, and we would spend the duration of VBS there together. 

I was amazed to see God in and through both of these boys. In Ethan I really got to see the power of God in his happiness although he had nothing. He seemed so light and playful regardless of his life circumstances. 

While with Malvo, I was struck by his contentedness to just sit on the bench and talk slowly. We didn’t have huge conversations but as we sat together in the peace something happened. I realized that sometimes we just need to sit back and sit still with the Lord in our inner being. Whatever it was, it was good. 

I was so blessed by being able to see these characteristics of God in and  through them.

The hardest part for me was leaving them because I got to connect so deeply to them. When I told them it was my last day, they both started crying. When I saw this, I had to turn away. It was so hard to see the pain in them and I just knew that I would break down if I looked any closer.

I finally broke and tears just flowed. When I was leaving they followed me outside all of us crying. They were holding on so tightly and I had to pull their hands out of mine. They stood there as I walked away and I just felt overwhelmed by how hard that was and how confused I felt.

This can’t be good. This can’t be how we leave them.  

But the next day as we were going to the park we passed by the school and when the kids ran up to the gate and I saw Ethan and Malvo looking for me. I stuck my head out of the van and I saw how happy they both were. I realized that they really are ok and I felt such a deep peace knowing that I didn’t leave them in pain. I was leaving them with a tangible memory of love and connection that they could celebrate. It was a tangible picture of Jesus’ love for both of them. 

I left with peace trusting that they belong to God and He knows how to care for them more than I ever could. 

– written by Gabe Wells & Project Leader