i was in Uganda on a mission trip with World Orphans in June 2012 when GOD gave me a message to share. HE showed me how the orphans were HIS favorites. HE was a Father to the fatherless. How one day JESUS would return and make everything right. No one would ever thirst or be hungry again. I was so stoked to get to share this message. I just pictured kids all lined up happy to be hearing a message meant just for them.
A few days later the moment came. Nothing like i had envisioned of course. We were at an orphanage with the worst conditions i have ever witnessed. The children had swollen bellies and they eyes were sank in, rashes, sores,and many looked like they would soon pass away. I held a baby that had a stab wound to her chest and had been burned; they said her mother had tried to kill her. The orphanage consisted of one room where they were confined; all 125 of them with two workers.There were no beds, no blankets, no comforts at all. One of the workers asked if we would share a message with the kids. Our group leader immediately pointed to me and asked if i would be willing. For a moment i thought that i would break down and cry. Looking out over the faces of these broken children i was reminded that they had to be the least of these JESUS was talking about.
I told them all how GOD had given me a message meant just for them. That what they were facing was only temporary and in HIS word HE said HE would never leave them, that HE was with them through it all. They were HIS favorites and HE had commanded others to care for them and if they didn't they would have to answer for it one day when JESUS returned. I told them about the great big meals they would share as the most honored guest at JESUS' table. How their Father loved them so much that HE made a way for them to be with HIM forever! JESUS himself said whatever you do for them, you do for me! I told them how the meek would inherit the whole earth. That the kingdom of GOD was theirs! I saw smiles on faces and after i finished a few came to hold my hand and thanked me for telling them that it was going to be better one day.
They needed to know that the life they were enduring would not be forever. I wanted to rescue everyone of them from the desperate situations they were in, but GOD had already promised them and me that one day HE would. I had to see with the eternal perspective that all would be right one day. In heaven all would be fed, all would be clothed, no one would thirst. There would be no pain, no tears, and no suffering there. We would all finally be home, and i could not wait to sing praises together forever.
I will carry the memory of that day and the faces of each of those children with me for as long as i live. So much joy in the midst of suffering. Those smiles, those eyes, they looked just like JESUS to me.

Matt 25:31-46
31 “But when the Son of Man[d] comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations[e] will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[f] you were doing it to me!’41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.[g] 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”