It’s been a jammed packed couple of weeks in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. So far we have gotten to kill some chickens, pluck their feathers, attend a wedding, drink lots of Mazoa & visited many local’s homes.
We are partnering with an organization called Hope Ministries. Their goal is to meet the emotional, physical & spiritual needs of orphans. They also focus on equipping believers for ministry in their local communities.
Our main ministry has been home visits encouraging members of the local church. Zimbabwe (Zim to the locals) has been in a money crisis for several years, so jobs are hard to find & money hard to get. The ATMs have long lines & people are only able get out a max of $60 each day, thats if the ATMs even have $ in them.
This is the first time on the race that I have consistently encountered poor people & been in their homes on a daily basis. The majority of people we have visited are struggling financially. They dont have a consistent means of income. Some houses are worse than others. The squatter homes with atleast 12 people in like a 500 sq. ft. house (if you could even call it that) were the hardest to visit.
My mind has often wondered how in the world we are to encourage these people when they literally have nothing nor really have a means for getting anything. Most of these homes are single parent homes because many husbands have died.
Ironically, Ive been studying the book of James over the past couple of weeks. And James was talking about two various kinds of trials we face in life: the trial of lowliness & the trial of wealth. The lowly experience trial because they dont see God meeting their basic needs. The rich experience trial because they have everything they need physically so they dont see a need for God. Both of these are looking to their circumstances to determine who God is. Its so easy for us to base our view of God on our circumstances rather than on who His word says He is.
I know God sees all these people. I know that He cares about them.
But what made God choose them to live in those circumstances and not me?
Why was I born in the USA?
I wish there was something I could do to get them out of the situations they are in but there isnt anything I can do, BUT pray. Which FEELS so useless, even though I know its not. Its hard feeling so helpless. I cant even relate to them.
I have all my basic needs met.
I dont live with 20 other people in a shack.
I dont have holes in my clothes, atleast when im not on the race.
My clothes aren’t extremely dirty.
I dont have rotted teeth.
I’m not an orphan.
I didnt have to provide for myself from the young age of 7.
I dont sleep on a hard ground without any kind of padding.
Education has always been available to me.
I get to leave, they may never leave.
Ive been having to CHOOSE to believe the Lord when He says He cares. What has helped me process through all this is the hope of Jesus Christ’s return one day to make everything new. Andy Mineo says it best:
And everybody got the question:
If God’s so good how He let this happen?
Is it mental health?
Is it gun control?
Is it we make superstars out of animals?
Is it the movies we make?
The video games?
I dunno, but God I want an antidote.
All I know is this world is broken
Our sin is the reason it ain’t like it’s supposed to.
Words fall short tryin to comfort the grieving
But you gotta know that there’s hope to believe in:
One day my God gon’ crack the sky
He gon’ bottle up every tear that we ever cried
Bring truth to every lie, justice for ever crime
All our shame will be gone and we’ll never have to hide
No more broken hearts, no more broken homes
No more lockin’ doors, no more cops patrollin’
No abusive words, or abusive touches
No more cancerous cells that’ll take our loved ones
No more hungry kids, no more natual disaster
No child will ever have to ask where his dad is
No funerals where we wear all black
And death will be dead and we’ll lock the casket
So until that day…I will weep with those who weep & my heart will rejoice with those who rejoice. Until that day… I will choose to remember that this world is not my home. Until that day…I will do all I can to love the orphan, the widow, the abused, the neglected, the grieving; trusting in the hope of Jesus’ return rather than the sinful, broken world we live in.
