One of the families that lives near the church where we work is poor in every sense of the word. When I think of people living in poverty, there are specific things that come to mind. Shacks, a dirt floor, no running water, open sewage, little to no food, and dirty clothes. I think many Americans think of poverty this way, or something similar.
Our group has gotten to know a few of the kids in this family, there are at least 4 brothers, and we interact mostly with the two youngest, Junior aged 5 years (known as Julien to our group) and his younger brother Chichi aged 2 years. These kids roam the streets, come and go as they please, day or night. They usually show up at the church whenever we are there wanting to play, ask for water and share whatever we are eating or snacking on if people are willing. These kids are wearing visibly dirty clothes, sometimes wearing shoes but more often not, hungry all the time and thirsty. When we leave church services in the evening Chichi (the 2 yr. old) can be seen wandering down the street, unaccompanied. He is 2 years old and it is dark, and he’s alone on the street. He is 2 and he looks like an old man walking down the street like he’s got this.
We asked the pastor’s wife about the family, her answer was even more heartbreaking than seeing these visibly poor children. She told us their Mom and Dad are not good parents that they do not care about the kids, they are never home, do not take care for them and there is no love. “They have no love those boys.”
This is the true poverty. Mother Teresa was quoted as saying, “The most terrible kind of poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted.” That is what these boys live, this is what they think about themselves, their world view and reality is truly the worst poverty. I know the poverty these kids face is all over the world, even in the USA. But coming face to face with it, and feeling my heart break inside me is almost more than I can bear. It’s more than God can bear too.
I’ll be honest, I struggle to believe that God is good when I see innocent kids starving from lack of food and lack of love. I have a hard time believing that this affects God and His heart really breaks for these children, but his heart IS broken. What is more, He sees all the children in the world that suffer, He knows their name and their story. He is not ignorant of this poverty. He proved that by sending us Jesus, he sent Him to redeem us all from the brokenness of the world. We are rescued from the pain inflicted upon us by our parents, friends, and enemies-intentional and unintentional. We live in a broken world, not the world God designed or wanted for us.
So I am holding on to that truth. That God is good, that He sees the pain and suffering of Junior and Chichi, that his heart aches for them and that He loves them. So I cuddle them, play with them, let them drink out of my water bottle, share food with them, and pray for them, anything I can do to show them the love God has for them and for me. There is a spiritual poverty that is worse than not having food, or clean clothes, it is the absence of love. And I would even say the absence of God’s love would be worse than the absence of family love, or that of a lover, even that of a friend. I do not want to minimize the pain that people who are trapped in poverty feel, nor am I idealizing it. It is real. I do not say these things lightly, with an idealistic, American eye that will return to safety and comfort after this journey is over.
There will be so much more of this poverty all over the world. That is what I believe God has called me to do this year. To be his hands and feet, loving those without love. The sick, the dirty, the discouraged, the suffering, the joyful, the blessed, and to trust that He’s got this. God’s got this covered, the good and the bad.
That means He’s got you covered, and me too. So “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” –Ephesians 4:6
Thank you for your prayers and support; it is a privilege that God called me, and you have sent me. J
Much love,
Manda
