I have a heart for children and babies. Throughout the week in New York, I never really got the opportunity to work with young kids. Even though I had an amazing week where God used my specific gifts, I felt like something was missing.
On the bus to the airport in New York on our last day, I sat next to a mom and her young toddler. At first, the mom was a little apprehensive that her son would be a bother to me and moved him onto her lap. I started engaging with this little boy. And let me tell you, he was cute! I couldn’t help myself. He was covered in chip crumbs. I high fived his little dirty hand. I talked to him and smiled. The mom eased up and put him back down.
A boy from my group asked the mom what her name was and started a conversation with her. She transitioned to talking to me. We began to talk about her daughter who was autistic. While we were talking, the little boy’s eyes started getting heavy. I looked down at him and he could barely keep his head up. I gently rubbed his sweet curly hair and he fell right asleep! I had my neck pillow for the flight and used that to prop his head.
I continued rubbing his hair and holding him up while talking with the mom. She asked about why we were in New York. I was able to tell her a bit about the churches that we worked with and some of the outreaches we got to do. Her daughter, who was sitting across from her, started acting up a bit. She was able to take care of her while I sat with her son.
When she got off the bus, she thanked me for helping her out and talking to her. I was so grateful that God allowed me to love on that little boy. It is exactly what my heart was yearning for. Throughout the week, God had been impressing on me about how he cares for even our heart’s little desires. This was just another way that God really made this trip meaningful. While it seemed like the mom benefitted, God allowed that family to be there for me. It was God proving again how much he knows me.
Krysta Loeffler, a student at Ranger College, served with Go Now Missions in New York City during Christmas break.
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