UPDATE FROM CALEB BARTON

"Grace offers what every human desperately needs, but what God alone can offer"


It's funny how I can spend hours, and have full on conversations with some of the kids and only understand a small amount out of what they are saying, but the love of Christ goes beyond even the language barrier. There is this little Filipino girl who is one of the first kids I got to know, I absolutely adore this girl! One day she came by the school with a huge attitude, which is not rare for this little six year old. She was walking towards us with hands on her hips and speaking Tagolog nonstop the whole way to us. I hoped off the counter, put my hand on my hips, cocked my head and began to respond in gibberish. O, she was not having it! We began to argue for several minutes, her a six year old Filipina, standing no more than 4 foot, speaking Tagolog and me, a 28 year old American standing 6'3 speaking gibberish, what a scene. Finally after going back and forth she puckered up and motioned to spit at me. Ha ha ha, so funny, I've never seen a youngster with so much attitude, she was smiling and laughing the whole time, even when she was going to spit at me! After I told her no spitting sternly, she ended the scene by clinging to my leg.

Rodel and Rodnnick
Rodel and Rodnnick are two brothers that I have become very, very close to. Rodel and Rodnick would come over a few times a week and we would hang out for hours. We would read, practice my Tagolog and their English, and play the I-pad. I found out that the boys and their older sister lost their mom and dad. Their dad was murdered and I am not sure what happened to their mom. They are not totally orphaned, they are taken care of by their uncle and his family; however I can see the pain of not having a mom or dad in their eyes. It touched my heart when Sarah, the Sunday school teacher came up to me on Saturday and said, "I found some of the kids writing 'I love Caleb' during Sunday school." I found that two of them were Rodnnick and Rodel.

"Double Trouble"
Ronalyn and Rynalin, two sisters I love very much and have grown very fond of. Rynalin is eight and Ronalyn is ten. The first time I met them Rynalin was hiding and popping out trying to scare us one night at the side car station. I immediately started calling her trouble in a joking way. Then her sister started in, and the name "double trouble" started. They love the name and most everyone calls them it now. It always make me smile when I hear them outside or see them walking towards me. A couple Saturdays ago I was feeling kind of down because I was exhausted from hopping around on one foot for three weeks and I couldn't interact with the kids like I wanted to. While I was sitting on the counter I saw Double Trouble walking towards me and I immediately began to smile, to myself and at them. As usual they smiled and said "hi koya Caleb", from across the yard. As they got to me they both said simultaneously, "We miss you Caleb!" Ah, my heart was filled, I responded, "I miss you too double trouble."

The Lord is allowing bonds to be built, that to be completely honest I am kind of scared of; knowing that I will be leaving them fairly soon. One of the new American boys said to me one day, "the kids are going to cry when you leave" and immediately my eyes started to water and I said, "I'm going to be the one crying." For the last few years I forgot how to love, I became numb to life and people. I can remember times when there were people I wanted to love, but I couldn't, I just didn't know how anymore. Truly, I never thought I would be able to love anyone again. When I rededicated my life to the Lord He supplied me with His love towards His people once again. This is an unconditional, sacrificial love that only the Lord could restore to my life. Over the last few months the Lord has completely broken a heart that was rock hard, using the love of these children. Love, it all starts and ends with love.