Today was one of those days that I know I will look back on to remind myself of just how faithful and intricate and personal God is. I will think of today and instantly remember the amazing gifts God gives us when we choose to follow him above all else.
***I apologize for the lack of pictures to explain this blog. Unfortunately, our internet doesn’t seem to work very well with the blogging site. After much effort, I was only able to upload one picture. Hopefully you can use your imaginations for this blog.***
Once a week we have had the privilege of visiting a squatter camp, Killarney, about 20 minutes outside of where we live in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. This is a community of people who have no place else to go, so they live in shanty, makeshift homes mostly made of plastic, mud, and sticks with no electricity, plumbing or running water. There are probably 200 or so people who have been living on this plot of land for more than 5 years, but could be abruptly uprooted by the “municipalities” at any time.
This was my third visit to this community of people. The church we are working with this month does a weekly Bible study with some of the men and women in the community as well as a mini vacation Bible school with the kids. It’s a pretty amazing experience to see the joy of these children who barely have enough to survive daily life.
Another team from Virginia had just flown in that morning and they were coming with us to visit Killarney, so that meant we had more help than we needed for the adult and kids programs. So our leader, Romona, asked if some of us could do some prayer walks through the village during the programs.
I walked with a married couple, Debbie and Mike, who were from Virginia. We went door to door greeting people, hoping to find a few who spoke some English. We weren’t having much luck until we came across this small fenced in area. At first, it didn’t seem like anyone understood us, but I saw a beautiful young woman peaking her head out the door and barely heard her mumble a few words to the others standing with her. I met her gaze and asked if she spoke English, and she responded quickly and clearly that yes, she could speak English and informed us that she was a teacher. There was a small fenced in area surrounding two shack like buildings- we soon found out they were were classrooms for the younger kids.
The young woman’s name was Constance, and she introduced us to her friend Tando, a name which translates to love in English. Since school fees are more than most families could afford in the community, these two women have taken on the responsibility of educating almost 40 children from kindergarten to 5th grade. The children don’t have desks, so they sit on tires half buried in the ground as in the picture below.
They have one small chalkboard, a few workbooks, crayons, and some white paper. Each of the women has 20+ kids to teach everyday. Because most of the adults have no work, Constance says most people at the camp can only afford to eat one meal a day, if that. The children are coming to school on empty stomachs and have a very difficult time focusing. These two teachers had been praying for God’s provision with hearts full of faith and trust.
Our church had no idea there was a makeshift school active in the camp. Constance and Tando were doing amazing work for these children with almost no support whatsoever. Romona and the leader from the Virginia team met these two magnificent women, saw their hard work and determination and immediately wanted to help. The women were so incredibly grateful, and at first all they asked for was some white paper. With a little more digging, we were able to create list that included pencils, workbooks, paper, chalk, markers, paints, and some mealy-meal with sugar so the kids will get a meal in the morning when the come to school.
These women were praying for a miracle, for someone to see their plight and care for their children in ways they were not able. God saw them and blessed them for their faithfulness to his kingdom and his children. I watched the miracle unfold with absolute astonishment and awe before a powerful God who personally saw to their needs and answered their prayers.
Getting to meet these amazing women and see their determination to make the very best of their situation was so encouraging. It is such a testament of God’s faithfulness that we found these women by divine appointment, going on a prayer walk that wasn’t even planned until a few minutes before we arrived. And to think that I almost didn’t go to Killarney that day because I had been having a lot of back pain and just wanted to go home and sleep. When we make ourselves available to be used for God’s glory, he promises to work miracles.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do because I am going to the father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
– John 14: 12-13
