“We must not, as Christians, stick our heads in the sand and pretend that the world is doing just fine because we are.”
So I have now traveled to seven different countries, and have gotten to know the world a bit, and the world has thrown me around, the world has changed my perspective, the world has shaken me up, and the world has cried out to me that it is not doing fine, the world has gotten on it’s knees and begged me to help, the world has showed me how much it needs what I have, the world has broken me, the world has looked at me through the desperate eyes of its people, and I will never be the same.
I see resilience in the world with people like Margaret who grew up as an orphan, she now has gotten money to teach and go to school, she barely has the money to make it to school each day after teaching but she has seen the Lord provide over and over and she said to me, “Kate, I grew up with no parents, but I am not an orphan, the Lord, my Father has never left my side, He has always cared for me, more than anyone in this world could”.
I see grace in the world through the woman I met while going door to door. After I told her why I was walking around telling people the good news of Jesus Christ, and I decided to buy one of her baskets that takes a week and a half to make, she dropped to her knees, with both arms lifted up, tears in her eyes, just thanking me and the Lord over and over again.
I see reality in the world when I ask for prayer requests from the kids in my Sunday school class, and a 5 year old child stands up and asks me to pray for her Dad to get a job so she could have school fees to go to school, and when I ask what they are thankful for, a 7 year old stands up and says she is thankful that she has food to eat today. Reality hits me hard when I walk into a hot, smelly, tiny classroom packed with kids on wooden benches some sitting on the ground with paper and pencil, sweating, with huge smiles on their faces that they are in school and they get to be the blessed ones in their families that get to go to school.
I see faith in the world when the pastor stands up every Wednesday and every Sunday and preaches on how to be rich when you are poor, he preaches to have faith that funds will be provided for your kids to go to school, and to have faith that God will put food on the table tonight. I don’t here that preached on the Sunday services that I go to where I am from, but these are the sermons most of the world’s Christians hear.
I see hopelessness in the world when I go to a home and look into the eyes of young children and see a look in them that I have never seen from children of their age. They are not moved by anything in the world anymore, they are numb, doing their chores day in and day out, carrying water for miles for their family, and watching mom come in and out, these children are not children, they never have had a childhood.
I see abandonment and loneliness in the world when I walk into a small hut that is filthy with roaches and crusted dishes and an old, blind woman lying in bed, she cannot walk, and she has a terrible cough. It’s almost like she had been abandoned there, for no one to care for her. Yet she listens to a gospel story, she is so grateful for our prayers, and money for food, but she stays there waiting for a better life.
I see the power of the gospel and how God can transform a place by one person saying “yes” when we went to visit Katie in Jinja. We went and saw hundreds upon hundreds of children getting fed physically and spiritually, kids getting to go to school, and many lives saved again physically and spiritually by what the Lord has done through one persons choice to care for her neighbors who are in desperate need.
“Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told…(Habbakuk’s prayer) Lord, I have heard of your fame, I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” -Habbakuk
I know that the Lord is moving in the world, but there is much to be done. He is doing something big in this generation and I pray that he remembers his mercy, I pray that He renews good deeds in our day through His servants, through His Church, through His hands and feet in this world, and good deeds of sharing with the needy and caring for the widows, orphans, and sick, so His name becomes famous in this WORLD!!
Renew us Lord, wake this world up to our neighbors who are suffering, Wake up your Church, and Use us in ways we never thought possible.
My hardworkers taking a break: JOYFUL SPIRITS
Sunday School Class: THANKFUL HEARTS!
"ME TEACHER ME TEACHER!!!"
A THREE YEAR OLD WHO WAS NOURISHED BACK TO LIFE! BY ONE YES
I am so sad to say that our squad is leaving Africa on Saturday to head to Thailand. I will never forget what I have seen and learned through the eyes of my African brothers and sisters. I love them and will never forget about my family here.
