Connecting Through Art: Two Stories - One Theme
“Will you color my heart?”
It was a simple question a little girl asked me to translate for one of
our mission team guests. The little girl
was sitting with her new friend on the cement basketball court after playing
relay games. We gave the children
sidewalk chalk to let them draw. The
little girl had drawn a heart and she wanted the student from Taylor University
to color it in. I was taking pictures and didn’t hear the girl at first, but
then I heard her say it again…. "Will you color my heart?" Once the college student knew what the little
girl wanted she immediately began coloring the little girl’s heart. I couldn’t help but think that even though
the little girl was asking for something tangible, something she could see….the
college student was actually making deposits into this little
girl. These two girls were connecting
their hearts through art. We are still building trust with the community in
Tres Reyes and over time these little “deposits” will make a difference.
The children in Tres Reyes love to paint! When given the chance to paint or play…they
often choose to paint. I think it’s
because they don’t have the opportunity or supplies. And since Cancun is a relatively young city
they do not have any art museums. So little by little we are bringing art to
them. Recently we had a painting
lesson with the children from Tres Reyes.
We introduced them to the painter Wasilly
Kandinsky who was an Abstract, Expressionist painter. Expressionists use color to express their emotions. Many of the children we work with have
experienced trauma and do not know how to express their emotions in a healthy way. The thing about art and music is that it can
be a beautiful way to express yourself.
We had a variety of different projects going on this day, and at one
point I noticed how quiet it was. The children
were so engaged in painting and were concentrating so much.
But one girl caught my attention. She was
working so diligently on her painting, and would stop and look at the example,
then look back to what she was painting.
She was still working when the other children had finished and we were
cleaning up. She wanted her painting to
be perfect. This young girl was connecting to her own heart through art.
We're thankful for the opportunities we have to pour into these children and families. It is God's desire to heal all of our hearts, but especially the fatherless and the vulnerable. Pray with us for God to heal hearts...in Tres Reyes, Bonfil, Cuna Maya.....
The children in Tres Reyes love to paint! When given the chance to paint or play…they
often choose to paint. I think it’s
because they don’t have the opportunity or supplies. And since Cancun is a relatively young city
they do not have any art museums. So little by little we are bringing art to
them. Recently we had a painting
lesson with the children from Tres Reyes.
We introduced them to the painter Wasilly
Kandinsky who was an Abstract, Expressionist painter. Expressionists use color to express their emotions. Many of the children we work with have
experienced trauma and do not know how to express their emotions in a healthy way. The thing about art and music is that it can
be a beautiful way to express yourself.
We had a variety of different projects going on this day, and at one
point I noticed how quiet it was. The children
were so engaged in painting and were concentrating so much. 
But one girl caught my attention. She was
working so diligently on her painting, and would stop and look at the example,
then look back to what she was painting.
She was still working when the other children had finished and we were
cleaning up. She wanted her painting to
be perfect. This young girl was connecting to her own heart through art. 
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