Father´s Day

It´s been a few days since I posted so since not much has gone on I want to take some time and go back to father´s day. As some of you may know I am not a big fan of secular holidays and thin that it´s sort of a ploy to run sales or make more money off cards. People are often guilted into doing something rather than genuinely wanting to. I have been blessed with a loving and supportive father and I hope that he knows how much I love and appreciate him without me having to give him a call on a specific day.

Regardless, since this past Sunday was father´s day, I want to talk a little bit on the subject of fathers. On Sunday the kids put on a production for Gil, the father and founder of the casa where I work. The did various dances, sang songs, and recited poems. It was really awesome to experience but the best part was hidden deep within the purpose of the casa. The children come from many different backgrounds. Some children were brought here because their parents simply could afford the time or money to take care of them, some had been found by the government and placed here, some had mentally, physically, and even sexually abusive fathers, and others are children of prostitutes and they never even knew their father. Despite their varied histories, they all are currently in the same place with the same caring and loving father, Gil. Although he isn´t perfect and sometimes he can get agree with them and have to be the person to discipline them, he still loves and cares for each and every one of them. It all started about 10 years ago when he and his wife decided to give up everything, sell everything, and leave their comfortable life to care for the children in Perú.

This somewhat mirrors our relationship with God. God is in three forms of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The form of Father is what has turned man people away from the idea of God. Like the children in the orphanage, some people have not had a loving father like I have, and so the thought of God being a father makes them sick and scared. If their earthly father has hurt them so badly, how badly can a heavenly father hurt them? This is where the picture of the orphanage somewhat depicts God the Father. Much like Gil, our heavenly Father will take us in regardless of our past and regardless of the hardships that we have gone through. Our heavenly Father, however, goes far and beyond even what Gil has done. God has more love for us than we can possibly fathom, and not only that, but God can also empathize with us because God also came to us in the form of Jesus who was blameless on all accounts yet underwent abuse and death for the sake of our sins. So rather than waiting for the 3rd Sunday in June to thank our father we should thank our Father each and every day, and if we are fortunate enough to have a loving father as well, then we should be thankful for him each and every day as well.

Peace,

Brandon