By Shea Svendson

“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away… where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
2 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NIV)

Although this verse is referring to Moses, it applies to all. When we turn to the Lord and put our trust in him, the veil of what consumes us is lifted, and we become free through the Holy Spirit. We are no longer hindered by worldly things, but unrestricted through God’s love and power.

I was reminded of this last summer when I journeyed with six other college kids to Peru through Project Go, a Buckner program. Going in, I had no idea what to expect. Leaving, I couldn’t imagine my life without it.

For most of the kids in the town and orphanage where I served, the only way to rise above poverty and their struggles is through God. It was so important that our time spent with them showed them God.

We arrived at the Pamplona Family Hope Center around noon one day to set up for a movie day and immediately the kids started to arrive. We showed “Tangled” on the projector and served homemade popcorn. At first they were so mesmerized by the shadows of their hands from the light of the projector. Once the movie started, they cuddled close to us and the giggles were nonstop; they loved the movie.

Each person on my team had at least three kids piled on top of them and all our legs and arms were going numb from trying to hold them up, but we never let up. Endless support is what these kids need, and this was just one way for us to express it, even though it seemed so insignificant.

By turning to God, the veil of how terrible things could be and how many problems exist is lifted away and you see things as being God’s will and God’s way. By turning to God, we are given a new set of eyes that are more loving and accepting of differences and difficult trials. Turning to God creates a freedom that allows us to live for him, holding us back from absolutely nothing.

Shea Svendson spent this past summer serving children and families in Peru through Project Go. She is a student at Louisiana State University majoring in kinesiology.

To learn more about Project Go and how to apply, click here.
 

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