Is it Sunday yet?

As of yesterday, March 8th, we have been on the Rez for two months, and now that we are here, I feel like I have a constant mental countdown until Sunday. Every day that passes signifies one less day until I am able to worship with little people surrounding me, praising Our Father for His goodness. As I had hoped and prayed, I do get to help with the preschoolers on Sunday morning, and last Sunday we had eleven little people sitting in our row during church! I love all of the kids, but the preschoolers have a special place in my heart. My heart is full to hear them, the littlest ones, singing praises to Our Father. One little girl in particular leans her head really close to mine and listens to hear which words I'm singing, and then she sings them aloud when she has them memorized. I wish you all could hear her tiny voice too; it is a continual reminder that God's eye is on the sparrow so how much more does He care for each one of us?

Another little girl who is often found sitting next to me during church doesn't sing. She rarely speaks. She's had a green runny nose for the past month and it was at least a couple of days of springtime Kids Club before I saw her smiling. She has been coming to church regularly since I've been here, and each Sunday I get tiny, tiny glimpses of a tiny friendship between us. The past two Sundays we have spent considerable amounts of time on the monkey bars after church. She can't do them all by herself, but with my help she can pull herself across. The moments we spend together on the monkey bars bring my heart so much joy - she smiles, even laughs some, her little tongue sticking out in determination where two front teeth used to be. Just last Sunday, she was telling me when she wanted me to let her dangle from the bars and when she needed help, a huge change from just two months ago when she wouldn't even tell me her name. The Lord heals brokenness, and that's what's happening, little by little, on those monkey bars.