Where do you meet God?

It's easy to ask questions like, "Why does God allow suffering?"

But somehow in the heart of the deepest sadness, I find God there. More clearly than when things sail by on this sheltered half of the world.

Yes, it's ironic. These children have been abused or left behind by parents whose lives are also broken. Meeting them should make us angry with God for allowing such cruelty and injustice in His world. But it's never the case. I, like so many other volunteers, meet these children and unexpectedly see God. I see God at work when a child learns to put down her defenses and trust me enough to let me take care of her. I see God when a child, unloved all his life, is now loved by his caretakers. I see God when little ones find the strength to take care of themselves, and take care of each other. And when the little ones can put their new, small amount of faith in God and ask Him to take care of their futures, no matter how much sadness they are going through now, God is never more glorified.

Far from making us cynical, kids' camp makes us believe in God. It is the goodness of God we see, and the goodness of God we come to reflect. For when we put ourselves away for a week and focus all our energy on loving someone weaker than ourselves, we do what God does. What God intended us to do. We act out love, then we understand that this is love. And then we can understand the heart of God, who is love.

I think it's the same with helping rebuild devastated houses, or taking care of the poor or elderly. Whenever we put ourselves away and love those in need, we stop questioning God's love, and embody it instead.