Devotional 4-30-10

A Child Is Born
{Ryan Lavalley is a sophomore at Xavier University in Cincinnati. He has spent this semester in Nicaragua, taking classes and working on mission projects. He stays with a host Nicaraguan family. I have been privileged to receive e-mail reports of his adventure. This one screamed "devotion" to me. He gave me permission to share it with you. (Anita Farrell)}

Hello all!

Some wonderful news. This Monday at 10:40 in the morning, the son of my host-niece, Paublina was born. Fernandito was almost 8 pounds and healthy. He has some very healthy lungs because as soon as he was born we could hear his crying from the waiting room of the clinic we were in. It was beautiful moment when the doctor brought the new baby boy out into the waiting room, father proudly following. When his father took Fernandito in his arms, it was a testament to the beauty of new life and the innocence of childhood. In that moment I realized this child had no sense of language, no sense of nationality, no sense of religion, no sense of prejudice, hatred, poverty, jealousy, wealth, or race. He simply felt the loving arms of his father wrapping around him in a protective embrace. His father stared down into his small frail face and simply smiled with love.

It reminded me that we can find love or we can be taught hatred. In the end much of the ugliness in this world is taught and conditioned while most of the good comes from a place deep within us, a place of childhood and innocent love. When we reach for this part of our inner core, that place that connects us to the pure love that comes from a child, this is when we can find true peace and true strength within ourselves and within this world. We are born a package of genuine original love. We are like no other being on this earth. Our humanity, our human nature, cannot be evil, because how could this child be something other than love. I was reminded through the small glistening eyes of an infant that what makes me human is the ability to love and the ability to choose love. So congratulations and good luck to Paublina and her husband, and I pray that Fernandito feels the love I saw in his Fatheŕs eyes for the rest of his life. Fernando has safely come home today and is surrounded by his loving family. Gracias a Dios.

Paz y Amor
Ryan