It is one of the necessities in life, but in many cases it’s so
rare for people while others there’s just an abundance of it. Last Friday my team was running low on water
on our day of ministry out in the village, and I volunteered to walk quite a
distance to get clean water and walk all the way to the church. And as I walked that, I began to appreciate
the easy access of water I have in America, but also the effort it
takes for these people to get decent water that’s sanitary to drink or cook
with.
rare for people while others there’s just an abundance of it. Last Friday my team was running low on water
on our day of ministry out in the village, and I volunteered to walk quite a
distance to get clean water and walk all the way to the church. And as I walked that, I began to appreciate
the easy access of water I have in America, but also the effort it
takes for these people to get decent water that’s sanitary to drink or cook
with.
Pastor Faustine told me that thereare two main water places where villagers walk long distances to get water, and
both are about one-thousand meters away; that is over 3,000 feet, or more than
twelve football fields away to get a single access of livable water, plus
carrying a day or two amount for drinking, cooking, and cleaning by
walking. I’ve heard the stories of the
lack of access of clean water in Africa, have
given to the cause, but to to try to be in their shoes is quite another
different story. My one experience can
never compare to their almost daily trips for long distances to get living
water, and the water they get still isn’t great. The quality isn’t good and neither the
access, but women heavily do it each day.
In the village we have a few witch doctors; who are a lot
different than expected. There’s been
one specific person that our team has come into contact a couple of times and
have had great conversation and hope to share more. He tells us that he uses the natural
medicines, believes in a god because if he didn’t then he would be able to cast
the spirit outs.
different than expected. There’s been
one specific person that our team has come into contact a couple of times and
have had great conversation and hope to share more. He tells us that he uses the natural
medicines, believes in a god because if he didn’t then he would be able to cast
the spirit outs.
He showed us his
medicine area, where He grinds the medicine naturally, his “cabinet area” where
spears and other witchcraft items are stored all around, and we saw some people
who came for help. This is a very real
issue here in Africa; witchcraft. In some instances people in the villages will
be cursed with spirit/demons and fear mainly drives the home or community. Spiritual warfare takes on a brand new level
in places like these villages, and without Jesus innocent people will run to
vain rituals for peace, and sometimes real curses that can be deadly. The truth is sometimes said here, “save a
witchdoctor and pretty much save a village.”
medicine area, where He grinds the medicine naturally, his “cabinet area” where
spears and other witchcraft items are stored all around, and we saw some people
who came for help. This is a very real
issue here in Africa; witchcraft. In some instances people in the villages will
be cursed with spirit/demons and fear mainly drives the home or community. Spiritual warfare takes on a brand new level
in places like these villages, and without Jesus innocent people will run to
vain rituals for peace, and sometimes real curses that can be deadly. The truth is sometimes said here, “save a
witchdoctor and pretty much save a village.”
Back on Friday, our pastor told us the horror of a man who beat
his woman with a large stick Thursday night. After hearing this and him showing us how the man did it, it has become
the second time this has happened since us being here. In this society I have noticed that a lot of
women do a lot of the work; cleaning, cooking, children duties, and sometimes
the fields. But I’ve also noticed that
no matter how valuable they are, men here can look down on them as property
since it can be a “cultural” thing. The
hardest thing is that even some Christians approve here because of it “being
culture” whether beating your wife or some significant female other.
his woman with a large stick Thursday night. After hearing this and him showing us how the man did it, it has become
the second time this has happened since us being here. In this society I have noticed that a lot of
women do a lot of the work; cleaning, cooking, children duties, and sometimes
the fields. But I’ve also noticed that
no matter how valuable they are, men here can look down on them as property
since it can be a “cultural” thing. The
hardest thing is that even some Christians approve here because of it “being
culture” whether beating your wife or some significant female other.
That morning after we heard this and began togo out to evangelism, my wind was knocked out of me and I just quickly became
at the same time burdened, compassionately overwhelmed for her, and fiercely
angry at the whole thing and how even some believers here could condone
this! A few hours later a couple of our
teammates crossed path with the lady and saw themselves the horrible bruises
she had received. It’s easy for me to
feel American in this situation, and I know I’m in a different culture, but I
also know that it’s downright unbiblical. The hardest thing sometimes in this Race is seeing the devaluing of
women; whether in a small village in Africa,
or the human trafficking problem all around the world.
He was born with no hands and no feet, never has he ever had the
feeling of just picking something up in his life. For years now, at the age of sixty, he has
sat on the busy street corners of Mwanza begging with a small cup in front of
him for a little change to get him through each day. I’ve watched many people pass him bye; nice
suits or just looking down on a man who never chose this type of life. Charlie, the man I speak of, has a smile for
the ages. Including the physical limits
described, one of his eyes is blind and when you can’t brush then your teeth
aren’t healthy.
feeling of just picking something up in his life. For years now, at the age of sixty, he has
sat on the busy street corners of Mwanza begging with a small cup in front of
him for a little change to get him through each day. I’ve watched many people pass him bye; nice
suits or just looking down on a man who never chose this type of life. Charlie, the man I speak of, has a smile for
the ages. Including the physical limits
described, one of his eyes is blind and when you can’t brush then your teeth
aren’t healthy.
Last March, a World Race
team met him and befriended him throughout the month. So when I met him out of the blue and found
out about the past team, I have fallen in love with this man and when I come to
town I hope to see him to encourage him, pray for him, and give him some money. The two different languages of Swahili and English
might make it difficult to talk unless I have my translator with me, but
everything else I feel I have in common when I see him. To see this man who literally has gone
through life without the things we take for granted, has given me such a compassion
for him that he told me, “You have been a mighty angel to me.” No Charlie, sometimes we are ministering to
angels when we don’t know it; you are that angel to me.
team met him and befriended him throughout the month. So when I met him out of the blue and found
out about the past team, I have fallen in love with this man and when I come to
town I hope to see him to encourage him, pray for him, and give him some money. The two different languages of Swahili and English
might make it difficult to talk unless I have my translator with me, but
everything else I feel I have in common when I see him. To see this man who literally has gone
through life without the things we take for granted, has given me such a compassion
for him that he told me, “You have been a mighty angel to me.” No Charlie, sometimes we are ministering to
angels when we don’t know it; you are that angel to me.
