We left Washington DC 7 days ago I think. We took a 13 hour flight to Dubai, and then an 8 hour flight to South Africa. After arriving in South Africa all 49 members of our squad crammed onto two little buses and we headed to Mozambique. We landed around 5pm and got to our place of rest the next morning at 7am after spending 5 hours getting visa's to cross the border into Mozambique. We spent that day and night catching some rest at this contacts house before we loaded in 2 more buses but this time without trailers, 28 of us were crammed in a bus that seats 22 with all of our gear. We left that morning at 5am and made it to Dondo, Mozambique and to our Iris ministry camp around 2am the next morning. This bus ride and travels days go into the history books as some of the most miserable in my life. But I am thankful we are here and we've hit the ground running.
Our squad is spending this entire month together working from one sight here in Dondo. We have a few contacts that we do ministry with and the man my team does ministry with is named Peter, he is blind and I'm going to pray for his eye sight before we leave fully believing God will heal his eyes. He owns and runs an orphanage in a town up the street called Mufrisee(spelling?). 2 days ago was the first day we spent with him and our team of 7 and peter and 3 of his older orphans loaded in the back of a tiny nissan and headed up the road to the orphanage. It was an amazing experience. Here we were, 7 of us, surrounded by African men and woman and little kids in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. They are the most warming and hospitable people I have ever come across and they wouldn't let us carry our own baggage as we walked to the orphanage.
I was out of my comfort zone surrounded by nearly 60 little black babies. But as I begin to play with them I heard one of the girls in my team say "These are our little brothers and sisters". I almost broke, I begin to look at all of these children in a completely different light, a completely different perspective. The focus got off of me and my comfort and turned to how I could love. It was amazing, the joy these kids have and their beautiful faces and expressions ha ha They're so cute. Really, and I don't even use that word like ever.
We were playing games and having fun, but in the corner of my eye I saw a little kid who looked like she was dying. Her calves and thighs were the same thickness, her knees were swollen, and she was laying motionless in a pile of ants. My heart broke. I walked over to her, laid my hand right hand on her head and begin to pray "Father, have mercy". Daddy have mercy on this little girl. I read the tattoo on my right hand, "Love never fails" and prayed that Gods love would surround and encompass this little girl. I prayed and commanded her body to be completely whole and new, that she'd walk, and talk and be like the rest of the kids. Sarah and Desiree(my teammates) came over and prayed for her legs, her right arm was disabled and her left leg as well. After praying we could bend her right arm that wouldn't straighten before. We lifted her to her feet and walked her around, she started walking better.
We walked with her hand and hand a few hundred yards to her home were her parents lived and she sat down on a bench. We found out her name was Rosa and after praying with her parents we turned around and looked at the bench were she was sitting and she was gone! I am hoping to spend more time with Rosa over the next few weeks. God has a heart for the broken and helpless. I want that part of His heart. How can I just live my life for me when there are so many others that don't know Him? Compassion demands a response. When you feel compassion for someone and look away thats selfish and disgusting. Compassion tugs at your heart and entices you to extend Gods grace and His mercy. Father teach me to have more compassion just as Jesus did. Father, have mercy.
