Cookies in My Pocket
By Olivia Bird
February 8, 2004
The day started out as nothing short of beautiful and extraordinary, and it was only the beginning. Dianne Hamlin and I shared a ride and talked about God’s glory and sang “Just like a Tree” for God and each other. We met about 20 other disciples at the Orange County Building. As soon as we arrived, it was evident that God’s greatest commandments were being obeyed at this meeting of disciples: to love God with all our heart and love each other as he loved us. We gathered in a circle for prayer, glorified God with our songs, and took off on a journey to Tecate, Mexico that would change my life.
Soon after our caravan composed of five cars passed the gates of the orphanage, we unloaded several bags full of items that we had collected from the disciples in our different ministries. Then, we walked to where the children were eagerly waiting for us.
The facility was modest, but it was evident that God’s grace had allowed these children to be part of a very special place; a sanctuary where they felt safe and loved. Once inside, the beautiful faces of the children of all ages, ranging between 2 to 14- years old greeted us with radiant smiles, that showed how very happy and grateful they were to see us. Immediately, they held the hands of the disciples who had visited many times before and invited them to get to the matter at hand: spending some quality time together.
I looked for the biggest couch, and sat right in the middle, hoping that the children would come and sit next to me. But to no avail, until little Erica showed up. Erica placed herself strategically right in front of me and looked around the room with her little finger in her mouth, as if to say, “I could sit there with you . . . if you want me too,” so of course I took the bait, after all, that was my plot all along. I looked at Erica and asked her if she would sit next to me and keep me company. She immediately lit up and smiled in the way that only a 7-year-old with missing teeth can do, and ran to my side. Little Erica sat between myself and Dianne, who had joined me on the couch and in my scheme to encourage and meet as many of these beautiful children as we could. Then quickly, more willing little girls began to fill the couch, and Amen, the plot was afoot.
Erica and Rosa immediately shared with Dianne and I that they knew how to sing several songs in English. They began to sing “Happy, Happy Hippo” so well that I had to ask if they knew what the words meant. To my surprise, they did! They sang the lyrics and translated it chorus by chorus. They were amazing. Soon, one by one they brought us their books so we could see their homework assignments and so they could read to us and show us what they knew. Erica showed me the book from her “morals” class. The book illustrated the life of Jesus and how he came to die for us. I learned that this book was part of their curriculum and included lessons about praying and sharing your food with friends. It also contained many areas where these lessons could be pondered with questions and places for the pupil to write the answers. Erica was very proud to show me all she had done for the day.
Soon, Erica was asked to go and fetch her bike as the disciples were ready to fix all the broken bikes, and Erica’s was one of them. So she left us, and Rosa soon followed Dianne and I as we moved on, looking for the next kids to encourage.
Two other sisters were sitting at the big table, next to two very happy little girls who were eagerly decorating their coloring books with crayons. And there she was, little 10-year-old Carmen, whom I had noticed earlier, coloring by herself. She didn’t have a disciple next to her. Hints of sadness were in her eyes, and I found out why later. Glenda, the sister who helped organize these visits to the boys and girls orphanage, told me in English what had happened. Carmen and her two brothers had lost both of their parents and their four-month-old little brother in a tragic train accident two months earlier. When the people in the town found out that the children were alone, they came and took everything. “No dejaron ni jabón para las manos en el baño,” (“they didn’t even leave soap in the bathroom to wash our hands”) Carmen had told Glenda earlier. Carmen had been placed at the orphanage for girls and the two boys ages 13 and 14 were placed in the orphanage for boys.
I looked over her shoulder and complimented her coloring abilities. And let me tell you, this little girl was talented. Her technique was extremely creative and impressive. Truly, she was something special. Her use of colors was remarkable. I asked her if anyone helped her, and she said “no.” I asked if she would show me all her drawings, and she agreed. I then asked her for her name and she asked me to guess. I wasn’t very good at it, but she was pleased that she had stumped me, and I was glad I was so bad at it. Then it was her turn to guess. She was so enthusiastic about discovering my name that soon, the other little girls at the table labored to guess. “Maria,” one shouted, “Monica,” said the other, “Leticia,” said another. Finally, a little bird whispered my name in Leticia's ear, and she shouted, “Olivia!” And soon, a good time was had by all.
Carmen and I talked quite a bit. I learned that her birthday was September 5th, and that her daily chore was washing the dishes. She told me she loved school, and she planned on first finishing Elementary School, going on to Jr. High School, High School, and then “estudiar mi carrera” (“to study my career”), she said. As I looked into her eyes, I noticed that her sadness had vanished and been replaced with joy and encouragement as I sat there with her, admiring her work. I looked at her, and for the first time noticed that her face had little specks of sparkles, and she looked like a little angel. I asked her about the sparkles and she shared, “I have a special cream with sparkles and I wanted to look nice for the visitors so I put some on for you.” Can you hear the sound of my heart melting, I thought to myself. What a beautiful child, but how beautiful she really was, would soon be revealed. We colored, we laughed, then we broke bread.
At the table, Carmen had saved a spot for me, but when I was called away to help serve the meal, someone else took the seat she had reserved. But from across the table where I sat next to girls named Angelica and Corina, I spotted Carmen looking at me and waved to her. She was putting a spoon full of veggies in her mouth when I did this, but she acknowledged me by showing she could move her eyebrows up and down simultaneously. She had a great sense of humor and a spirit that persevered despite all that she had recently gone through.
After the meal, we cleaned up. Some of us lingered in the dining room afterwards, including Carmen. We played this game similar to Patty Cake, but with much more sophisticated lyrics and intricate hand patterns. I had to really concentrate, and we couldn’t say the lyrics because the hand patterns were so complicated, so we asked another little angel to say the lyrics as Corina and I played the game. Corina was in stitches, because apparently when I play this game, my tongue sticks out on the side as I concentrate on perfecting my technique. Needless to say, we had a great time. But it was time to go, as all good things must come to an end. So as I said my goodbyes to the girls, they pleaded with me “no te vayas Olivia” (“don’t leave Olivia”). But I had no choice, and as I promised I’d be back, a sparkle of hope glittered in their eyes.
I spotted Carmen with a pile of cookies in her hand. “One, two, three, four, five cookies!” I said to Carmen. “Are you planning on eating them all?” I asked her. To which she just smiled and gave me a mischievous look that I interpreted as, “yes I am!” I gave her a hug, and she asked, “can’t you stay a little longer.” I told her, “no little one, but I promise, I will see you again.” I walked away feeling like a little piece of my heart was left behind.
As I walked to my car and put my hands in my pocket in search of my keys, I found all five of Carmen’s cookies in my pocket. A grateful little angel’s way of saying, “thank you for spending time with me.”
I want to invite you to experience this joy - it will change your life. Remember, that Jesus had a great love for children. Even during times of intense activity or when great crowds of people surrounded him, he always managed to find time for the little ones. As a matter of fact, he often used them as teaching examples.
In Matthew, Chapter 18, when the disciples were attempting to determine who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus called a little child over and had him stand among them. Then he said to his disciples:
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. (Matt 18:3-5)"
Again, in Matthew 19:14, Jesus rebukes his disciples for keeping away the children who were awaiting his blessing, and says:
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
I also invite you to be innocent, trusting, and obedient, like a child. And like Carmen, be grateful for what you have, and be completely giving, even when those in the world take everything you own, and you don’t even have a bar of soap to wash your hands.
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