“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”
–Corinthians 1:27
Who am I? “Who am I that you are mindful of me? The daughter of man that you care for me?” (Psalm 8:4) I search the face of my King? I am like Mary declaring to the Lord, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” (Luke 1:46-48) Who are we but a people born of a sinful nature? Even the heavens above declare HIS Gospel! With one WORD He spoke and the galaxies were thrust into existence! (Jeremiah 31:35) The heavens declare the glory of God! And so, I ask again. Who am I that He would choose me, would wash me, and would use me? And yet, here in my humble estate I declare that “Behold, I am the maidservant of the Lord; let it be unto me according to Your WORD. (Luke 1:38)
In these past two years, I have seen the hand of the Lord at work, at work in me and in those around me. Oh, how many times I would ask Him, “why me!?” I can’t even begin to share with you the wonders of His infinite wisdom and faithfulness that He has revealed to me, day in and day out.
I am here to share a glimpse of a ripple effect that started with 15 children from Haiti. Children who were lost, hungry, and rescued. I was an “Auntie” to these children for 7 months, wonderful months! For the past two or so years I have had the privilege of being a part of the ministry His Little Feet. His Little Feet (HLF) is an international children’s choir. We have children who are orphans themselves come from different parts of the world to stand before many and be a voice of the children all over the world who are crying for help & love but have not been heard. The children and staff of HLF travel around the United States to spread awareness of God’s royalty, the orphaned & vulnerable children all across the world. I have had the privilege of traveling with the first two tours of His Little Feet. This little story I am about to weave is to reveal my Lord’s faithfulness and the ripple effect that comes as we, the foolish things of this world, are used for HIS glory!
My story begins when we were told some news, news that rocked the world of everyone who was a part of the His Little Feet team. It was during the first tour, and Mike and Christa (the founders and directors of His Little Feet) were preparing to leave in the morning to go to Ethiopia to start the process of selecting the new children for the upcoming tour. The children had a performance that night and then the next day, Sunday we had four performances, three morning services at one church and one evening service at another church. Mike and Christa gathered the children around them after the concert explaining what was happening and where they were going. Then, after a pause, Christa told the children that they received the news that one of the “Mamis” who these kids have known and grown up with at the children's home in Haiti had suddenly passed away. There was a still shock hovering in the room and then, deep pain and anguish burst from the hearts of these sweet children who had become so dear to me. They wept, heart wrenching sobs, a moment that is forever etched in my memory. Tears of confusion, hurt, agony...I will never forget the wails of these children who had already gone through so much pain in their young lives, crying out to God. I sat there among the other staff with tears freely falling, praying, comforting in any way I could. The verse, “weep with those who weep, comfort those who need comforting, and rejoice with those who rejoice” became so real to me in that moment. After quite some time we all headed to our host homes, the children still in a state of mourning and shock. I remember what a blessed time the Lord gave my two girls and I that evening as they asked all manner of questions about heaven and eternity. I sat in their room praying over them as they drifted off to sleep asking the Lord to give them strength for the next day where they had to pour out. Not quite knowing what to expect and knowing that this was one of the biggest days of the tour, I knew the Lord would show Himself faithful. The next day came quickly and the kids allowed the Lord to work through them in the first three morning services. And then our last concert came. As they began worshiping the Lord with all they had in them, blessing His name, the Holy Spirit empowered them. Their voices rose and fell and they began singing a song I had heard them sing dozens of times before, yet the words were coming alive to me as I witnessed these 15 children rise upon a strength not their own. “Blessed be the name of the Lord...you give and take away...my heart will choose to say...Lord, blessed be your name!” Tears came to my eyes and to those around me. These children were offering a sacrifice of praise and a sweet peace, the aroma of our Lord swept through that little church in South Carolina. He was there strengthening each of the children just as He had in the past; comforting them, empowering them, and refreshing them. There was such joy in the faces of those dear 15 Haitian children, a joy not their own. “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” (Psalm 126:5) I will never forget this evening, because it showed me my Jesus in a way I had never seen Him before. But because of the faithfulness of our Lord, because He uses the weak of this world to confound the wise, this story of mine does not end there...
Soon after the first His Little Feet tour ended the Lord opened up to me the opportunity to go to the Philippines for 10 days. We where asked to prepare a few speeches to share with the churches in the Philippines. As I was praying the Lord kept placing in my mind and heart the testimony of the children as they offered their King a sacrifice of praise. I could go on for quite some time sharing what the Lord has revealed to me about blessing the name of the Lord, it would fill page after glorious page, but for time sake I shan't go there. I was asked to share at two different churches in my time there in the Philippines and a boldness washed over me both times, a boldness that was other than me; boldness and peace. I shared what the Lord had intricately put on my heart, I shared what He taught me, and then I shared the testimony of those 15 wonderful children who were instruments used by my God to show me what it looked like to bless His name in the good and bad times. May we raise our voices because HE is worthy of all adoration and praise! As I shared this dear memory of those children I took care of and traveled with, tears came to my eyes. Sharing from the depths of my heart, a heart that had learned so much, a heart that yearned for her Lord’s name to be blessed, I glanced around the room and tears were streaming down the faces of all those in the room. As the translator translated my inadequate words, words that I knew did no justice to the subject, I saw the Holy Spirit at work. After I was done sharing people came up to the front tears streaming down their faces, some falling to their knees sobbing, worshiping, adoring our Lord. A different culture. A different language. Same God. And then tears came to my eyes as I saw what the Lord had done. I saw the people of the Philippines worshiping Him, re-dedicating their lives to HIM, giving HIM all the glory, all the honor, all the praise. All because He took the weak of the world and shamed the wise. He handpicked each of those 15 children in Haiti, He rescued them from the tough times in their past and He gave them the opportunity to be a voice for millions across the world, not only that but through them He spoke into my life as His glory filled them in a time where it seemed as if there would be no praise left in them. The Never-ending Fountain of Life used those children, who were destitute and lost, to reach hundreds of people across the world from them with the testimony of His empowering grace. I was speechless and in awe of my Lord as I saw His hand reaching across the nations, reaching across language barriers, reaching across cultures. His presence, rippling outward because fifteen orphaned children chose to Bless the name of the LORD in spite of what circumstances dictated…a ripple that has affected eternity.
Please consider joining His Little Feet International Children’s Choir as we travel around the United States spreading awareness for the Orphaned and Vulnerable children around the world. There are many ways you can partner with us. We call it our {Be In On It} Campaign: Give. Sponsor. GO. Adopt.
{GIVE} Partner with us by giving to His Little Feet, helping take care of the sweet children while they are here in the states by caring for them, as well as helping us with the daily needs of gas for the bus as we travel from state to state spreading His fragrance.
{SPONSOR} a child in need through Compassion International. The definition of compassion is not just having sympathetic consciousness of others' distress, not just seeing, not just knowing coupled together with a desire to alleviate it; it goes even further then a desire, compassion is an action. An action to alleviate that pain, hurt, & distress.
{GO} “Go into all the world and preach the Good News.” We are commissioned by God Himself, to proclaim His good news to the ends of the earth and have compassion on lost souls, souls who need their Savior! His Little Feet is partnered with Visiting Orphans, connecting you with an opportunity to spread the love of God to the orphaned in the world around us and at the same time giving them LOVE, Himself.
{ADOPT} Prayerfully consider becoming a forever family to a child. Giving them a future and a hope, a loving family, daily needs, and most importantly, Jesus.
Be sure to look at the HLF schedule to see if they are going to be coming to a church near you! You will be blessed!
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