The Faith of A Child

So today was the last day at Vacation Bible School as a crew leader. My job was basically shuffling 5 preschool age children from station to station, similar to attempting to teach 5 orangutans to walk in a straight line. By day #4, I gave up on the concept of a line and just transported the primates on my shoulders, on my legs and let them run wild. I just counted heads when we got to the next station and hoped for the best. Hey, it's a volunteer position!

Anyhow, yesterday at the end of the day, during our wrap up assembly, I was in my usual position- sitting on the floor with 2 children in my lap and one perching on my head, when the director began to talk about the grace of God. The point for the day was "even if you do something wrong, Jesus loves you!" So, each team was given a trash bag and we had to pretend to throw our mistakes in it and then we all put the bag on a large wooden cross at the front of the room. As I sat there on the floor with the kids, a worship song came on and a man in white dressed as Jesus began to walk from the back of the room down the aisle toward the cross. As he passed, he lovingly patted children's heads, hugged them and then reached down and touched my hand. Something about sitting on the floor with children all around seemed so much like how I picture Jesus. The gymnasium was loud and irreverent and kids were chaotic and sweaty, but it didn't matter. Jesus was just there to love and serve. He proceeded to the front and began removing the trash bags from the cross as my eyes filled with tears. Suddenly all of the noise was no longer a distraction. I was completely lost in the moment.

Charlotte shook my shoulders to get my attention and broke my stare with "MOM!" I turned to her and she said "It's Jesus! Can I hug him? Please?". "Of course!" I said and she ran to the front and jumped into his arms. It was as if she had been waiting her whole life, hearing story after story about him and he was finally here!

After the song was over and Jesus quietly made his way out of the room, Charlotte asked "Momma, where did Jesus go?"
She fully believes that she saw Jesus yesterday and I don't have the heart to tell her otherwise. Mostly because I believe I did too.