It’s another hot summer day here at Love A Child. Bobby and Sherry are on their way to Africa, and people here are already missing their presence. But everything on the compound here in Fond Parisien continues to operate. The ministry must go on. There are people depending on us, people relying on Love A Child. But in the midst of all of the hustle and bustle to keep things flowing, a few “very clever” boys from the Orphanage (Children’s Home) found a way to get in some much-needed “gym time”.

Kim and I are here with our four children. My kids love hanging out with, and loving on, all of Bobby and Sherry’s kids (and there are a ton of them). While my sons, Braden and Brent, were spending time with some of the younger boys, someone had the bright idea to hit the Love A Child gym. They went to the gym. They all worked hard exercising. With joy and laughter, they lifted weights and worked hard, all of them happy, all of them carefree.

But after the workout, it became abundantly clear that “kids will be kids.” Whether they are here in Haiti at the Love A Child Children’s Home or in the States, kids will sometimes not make the best decisions. We found out later that my sons were hoodwinked by these 10 very young, very witty boys. These guys were supposed to be in their summer tutoring sessions at the school. But they felt the urge to skip. They wanted to have fun pumping up their little muscles instead of learning their math facts. But they got caught! The caretakers at the Children’s Home caught them. And now they are reaping the consequences.

Nevertheless, I am reminded of two very important truths.

(1) The Bible says that the “joy of the Lord is our strength.” These boys were joyful, and they were strengthened. They had a blast with their two “big brothers” from the States building up their little muscles.

And (2) Bobby and Sherry have their hands full.

I know what it is like to be a father of four and some of the shenanigans that go with it. Can you imagine being the parent of 70 or 80? Wow, this is a big task! But these kids are loved. These kids are filled with joy. These kids are strong! The joy of the Lord is their strength.

Thanks,
Jesse Ostrander