Posted on March 20, 2015.
While on her DTS outreach, student Jamie Fiano had an impacting experience during her time spent at an orphanage in Machakos, Kenya. Her team worked with the orphanage who cared for babies that were left out to die. They spent of the time hanging out with the kids who ranged from infants to toddlers. The first day at the orphanage Jamie was in a room with the younger kids where she met Judith, a baby not yet one year old. Jamie played with a few babies but found it was difficult to focus on Judith because she was not being responsive to any of Jamie’s attempts to make her laugh. “Which sounds selfish,” Jamie explained, “but when there are two others babies wanting your attention, it’s easy to avert your efforts.” She would come back to Judith every now and then, but only received a blank stare and that was the extent of their time together that first day.
However, when they returned Jamie noticed Judith again sitting by herself, and she felt convicted by the way she had neglected Judith the first day simply because she wasn’t making her laugh. So Jamie decided to dedicate her time to Judith that day regardless of her response. “Though I was determined to make her giggle.”Jamie said. They went outside where Jamie lifted Judith into the air and brought her down close to her face, making silly faces and sounds. This finally got Judith to smile, but she soon grew bored of the repetitive motion and sounds. So instead when Jamie brought Judith close to her face, she covered her with kisses while making a very exaggerated “muah” sound. “This led to sudden bursts of joyous giggling that can only be heard from a child.” Jamie said, as she explained how happy this make her heart. Jamie kept giving her kisses on the cheek and forehead, watching her smile crinkle her small eyes. After a while, Judith looked at Jamie very focused. She knit her brows in concentration, puckered her lips and made a “muah” sound, imitating Jamie. So Jamie leaned forward, put her cheek next to Judith’s lips and received a soft kiss with a “muah” sound accompanying it. They went back and forth in this manner, and in that way Jamie taught Judith how to give kisses.
Through this experience, God taught Jamie something beautiful. Just as she kissed Judith’s face, God kisses ours.
We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19