A lot can change in a year…when I got to Casa Bernabe, the first thing I did was head up the hill to see CJ.*  I had been looking forward to this day for the last year, and when he came to the door, here was this grown boy, looking eye to eye with me.  Still shy, but with a smile for me that made his eyes shine and my mama-heart melt. As the week went on, from across the church or the campus, his eyes would seek mine out and a smile and wave were quick to follow. To be there again, not as a stranger this time but as someone who belonged to him, I just don’t have words…

I still remember being told, as I walked in oblivion up the hill on the day I met him, “He just needs a little love.” That was about 5 minutes before God completely rocked my world and wrecked my little existence.  Since that moment, we, as a family, having been pouring love into his life every possible chance we get.

To love and be loved and to belong to someone, even if it’s a long way away…a year ago this 13 year old boy was struggling, he was praying for a family, hungry for a relationship.  To hear how much better he is doing now, to hear that he is more self-confident and outgoing, and to know that his easy smile has returned over the last year was humbling to me. Loving from a distance is so hard and there have been many days when I wished I could do so much more but small things with great love have made a tremendous impact…

Haz Cosas Pequeñas Con Gran Amor…Do Small Things With Great Love

Maybe it’s a bag of jerky, a pack of sharpies, or a t-shirt, some photographs, a handful of letters, a whole lot of love and prayers for the right words to say to this sweet child…small things with great love, packaged up and sent south to Guatemala, every single chance I have gotten over the last year.

A lot of different people have said it in a lot of similar ways because its truth runs deep.  We can’t change the world, but we can certainly change the world for one person. It doesn’t have to be hard…it doesn’t have to be big…

If you are interested in learning more about visiting Casa Bernabe, sponsoring a child at the orphanage, or contributing to our November 2018 Casa Bernabe trip as we head back down to Love Boldly, please let me know. I would love to share this passion with you.

In the end, love doesn’t just keep thinking about it or planning for it.  Simply put: Love does! ~ Bob Goff

Our newest t-shirt design because it’s one of the biggest lessons I have learned…God can take these small, seemingly insignificant things and magnify them beyond what we could imagine. This design is only available at DoGoodStudio.org and all proceeds will benefit our November 2018 Casa Bernabe trip.

Read about our latest trip here.

*names have been changed to protect identity