Unconditional & Conditional

Boa Tarde!

Love is the most beautiful thing that has ever been and that will ever be. It never fails. Knows no wrong. It is not easily angered. Keeps no record of wrong. Love is perfect! Pure beauty.

Our world has twisted the meaning of love and has made it conditional. Some how it became an over used word that is only temporary. Love has been bogged down by conditions and is used lightly. People fear love because it has been so tampered with that they don't understand what it really is.  

con•di•tion•al (kənˈdɪʃ ə nl) 

adj.

1. imposing, containing, subject to, or depending on a condition; not absolute

The definition of unconditional love is what the Father has for us. No matter how far we run or how much we screw up he still loves us. His love is unchanging and knows know limits or conditions. 

un·con·di·tion·al  (nkn-dsh-nl)

adj.

Without conditions or limitations; absolute

These girls have never known real, true love. They have only known the tampered with version of love. It is incredibly hard for them to trust or love because of what has been done to them. 

They have been beaten, bruised, scarred, taken advantage of, raped, verbally abused, and bogged down by so much darkness! 

It is absolutely heart breaking. 

All you want to do is embrace them and tell you how much you love them and how much the Father loves them. 

You can shower them with love and compliments but they don't believe you. They don't believe because all of their life they have been told different. You can tell they hunger for happiness and love but there is fear. Fear of change. Fear of being hurt and disappointed. They need love more than anything. 

The beautiful side to all of this is that God is working up something strong. We are his vessels. He is softening their calloused hearts bit by bit. His love is unfailing.

Yesterday Mallory and I went over the Bethany house to hang out with the girls before we left for street church. A fight started  (as it does often) between two of the younger girls. One of the older girls came over to break it up and gave a pretty good beat down on the one of them. 

Again, discipline is a completely different story because of what has been done to them. The concept of discipline out of love is so foreign.

Sweet Rafaela:)

I scooped her up and carried her to the kitchen. She was mad and hurting. She didn't want any kind of affection from me. I followed her as she ran up the stairs crying. Still not wanting me there she ran back down to the kitchen and sunk down in the corner. Head on her knees and whimpering. My heart was literally broken. 

I looked at her and said, (probably very poor Portuguese)"Are you okay?" She shook her head and cried. I sat there a few more minutes but still nothing. So I stood up and kissed her on the head. She looked up, with tears in her eyes, and said, "Tia!" 

She has the most amazing eyes. 

I almost started crying as I picked her up and squeezed her tight. She wouldn't let go. 

I walked around outside and kept telling her I loved her. I knew how to say "I delight in you." So I just sang it over her. 

Her grip never relented and she slowly fell asleep as we walked around. 

My arm went numb pretty fast but I didn't care. She was heavy but I didn't care. She was sweaty but I didn't care. I was what she needed and I wasn't going to let go. 

Luke and Johnny came to pick Mallory and I up for the streets so I took her inside and laid her on the couch. I sat there for a few minutes but every time I tried to move she would grab a fistful of my  shirt and not let go! 

I was so humbled and felt so much love for her. I told her again that I loved her and I had to go but I would be back tomorrow! 

She opened her eyes, smiled, and said "Tchau Tia!" 

My heart is still so heavy from that moment. She pushed me away and pushed me away and then finally realized I wasn't going to leave. I can't even begin to imagine what love the Father has for us. Words cannot even explain the love that he pours on us. Even when we reject him and reject him he just keeps pursuing us. 

He used me to be His love to this sweet child. 

I was used to bless her but truth is, she blessed me immensely! 

A little Holy Spirit switcheroo took place and I am so overwhelmed. 

Sure, it might have been just a small moment. But its the small things that build bigger things. 

Always love extravagantly and never pass up a moment to love someone. Make love known. Real, true love. 

-Maddie

 Mal and I are posting pictures pretty often on our instagrams. 

-littledisonmae
-mntaylor

You can also check out the Shores Of Grace website to find out more about the mission here in Recife.
- http://shoresofgrace.org 

The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread. ~Mother Teresa