For my kids. Whose stories hold more weight than any I've ever heard. Whose eyes hold more pain than I've ever seen. Whose lives scream out abandonment and despair. But who still hope, who still struggle to love, who still sing, who still dance. For the 115 children who are struggling to hold onto childhood and innocence. Who walk into dance class everyday with a smile, who get up every morning and get themselves to school. Who refuse to give up. Thanks for dancing with me.
Hi there.
I just wanted you to know that I see you.
Yes you, you with the cigarette burns on your face because your dad was just too angry to stop himself.
You with the quick temper which is really just a cover to mask the pain and hurt.
You with swear words that sound harsh and vulgar but really translate to "someone love me."
You who is so quick to kick or punch but just as quick to hug and cuddle.
You who shuts down when being yelled at but comes alive when receiving a compliment.
You who is so tired of being told everything that is wrong with you.
You who actually believes that you really are worthless and a waste of time.
I see you.
I see you there crying in the corner.
I see right through your "tough and rock hard" facade.
I see the ten year old girl who believes that love and affection is entirely physical.
I see the eight year old boy who believes that to be a man means to be abusive.
I see you.
I see the six year old who doesn't actually know how to be a child.
I see the way that you fight us and yourself when we ask you to lay on the ground and be silent and listen to music for a few minutes.
I see the peace that comes over you when you stop fighting it and just listen to the band singing about how much He loves you.
Yes, you.
I understand that telling you that God is like your father doesn't come close to comforting you.
So I just want you to know that He is your friend.
I understand that every time someone tells you that He protects, you wonder why He didn't protect you.
So I just want you to know that He was crying with you, that He was there holding you.
I understand that you have no grasp on how to love, that the word holds no meaning or importance to you.
So I just want you to know that He will give you a hug and tell you everything that's right about you.
Everything that's good and perfect.
Everything that He carefully designed.
I understand that you have a hard time trying to listen to the people telling you that your life was planned and has a purpose.
So I just want you to understand that He put so much time and thought into creating you.
Yes I see you.
The little girl who doesn't smile until I turn on some Mandisa music and then she magically turns into spinning dancing laughing princess.
The teenage boy who cannot keep still for more than a few minutes but will lay completely silent on the floor listening to How He Loves over and over again.
I see you, all one hundred and fifteen of you.
I know that you don't know how to trust.
I know that you don't know how to love.
I just want you to know that in dance class I don't have expectations.
I just want you to know that you are free to laugh.
I just want you to know that it's ok to cry.
I just want you to know that I don't believe for one second that who you are is a naughty misbehaving child, that you are a hopeless case.
I just want you to know that I saw you share that plastic cup with the little girl that didn't have one.
I just want you to know that I noticed how quickly you listened to me and picked up a chair even when the rest of the class wasn't obeying.
I just want you to know that you can trust Jesus.
I just want you to know that He really does love with a kind of love that you can't quite wrap your mind around.
I want you to know that you will not always be abused.
I want you to know that you will not always be neglected.
I want you to know that you will not always be raped and screamed at and discarded.
I want you to know that I see you.
But even more than that, I want you to know that He does.
I see the strength behind the weakness.
I see the peace behind the hurricane.
I see the light behind the darkness.
I see the love behind the anger.
I see the healing behind the hurt.
And I believe, more than anything, that you will see it one day too.
That even if your circumstances on earth never change, that even if it is always stormy,
I believe that you will dance in the rain.
I believe that your story will change hearts.
I believe that your story will change nations.
I believe that your story will inspire courage.
I believe that your story will inspire action.
I believe that your life will impact and change countless others.
I just wanted you to know that I see you.
I just wanted you to know how much He loves you.
I just wanted you to know that you mean something.
I just wanted you to know that you are wanted.
I just wanted you to know that you are wanted.
I just wanted you to know that you can be free.
I just wanted you to know that you belong.
I just wanted you to know that I see you there, everyday, dancing in the rain.
