I sat down under a large shade tree and our host gave me a soda. We talked while and he told us we were going to go speak to some children in a school near by but first we were going to stop by his church. We stood up from our wooden chairs said a prayer of thanks for the soda and were off to the church. As we were walking in the door the Rev whispered in my ear, “This is a group of HIV/Aids patients. We want you to encourage them, and speak Gods word to them.” My eyes opened wider than they ever have and I was like “OK?!?”
I walked in the door and saw about 35 or 40 people, a good 15 or so little kids and my heart sank. What do you say to a group of people who have known more suffering than you could ever imagine, sitting back and looking to you, you comfortable American, for a word on their situation. My first instinct was to say this light momentary affliction is not worth comparing the surpassing greatness of the glory of God, which is so true. But I felt like I was sitting in my lazy boy eating my bag of chips, throwing back my soda, flipping though my 200 cable channels saying, “Oh, just get over it. This life is temporary. This suffering isn’t a big deal.” I felt no right to tell them that their suffering was momentary. To them it isn’t. It is life long. Some of them were born with this horrible disease. This was not anything they brought on themselves, it was given to them. Later that night the Rev. was telling me that all of these people had been in war camps. Camps that were really bad. No food, No clothing. Everyone was just scrapping by. The only people who had money were the soldiers. The soldiers would solicit women in the camps for Sex with the promise of money. Rev said that the massive spread of aids in this area has come from this. So not only do these people have a deadly, stigma attached disease but all of them spent a majority of their lives, some 20 years, in war camps. And a greater majority of the women were rapped or sold themselves just to feed their families. What do I say to a group of beautiful, hurting people like this?
I asked the Lord to give me something, anything to say, and he brought me to 2 Corinthians 1:8-11.
“For we do not want to be ignorant , brothers of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed we have received the sentence of death.”
I encouraged them that we can’t just stick our heads in the sand and put the bandaid of this life is short over it and move on. That even Paul recognized suffering and called it for what is was, a burden to despair. That it is ok to realize that what they are experiencing and going through IS suffering and that it is a product of a fallen world. That pain is real, and it hurts, and it sucks, but there is more. That’s not the end. That God is working out a more perfect end than we could ever think or imagine.
“But that was to make us really not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril and He will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”
I reminded them and myself that we cannot rely on ourselves or on others, but only on God. This suffering isn’t to punish you or to harm you, but it is to free you from the idea that you could rely on anything but God himself. I didn’t say this, but I am seeing the connection now. God has saved them from the deadly peril of the LRA and the war camps, and he will deliver them from aids. They are all going to be delivered one way or another. These patients are believers so they will either be delivered through the pain to see more healing or through death. The ultimate healing.
When we were finished talking John and I sang “Never Let Go” I will leave you with these lyrics. Please read them in light of these faithful, burdened to despair believers.
Even thought I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting our fear
Even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back I know you are near
And I will fear no evil, for my God is with me, and if my God I with me
Whom then shall I fear, Whom then shall I fear
Oh no you never let go through the calm and through the storm
Oh no you never let go every high and every low oh no you never let go
Lord you never let go of me
I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
There will be an end to this trouble but until that day come
I will live to love you here on the earth
Oh lord you never let go. You don’t let go of comfortable Americans and you don’t let go of HIV/Aids victims. You are faithful and loving no matter what our condition is. Thank you that this life is temporary and that you are bringing us into eternity with you. Hallelujah!
