I love everything about this place. Sure, the ZESA (electricity) cuts in and out, as does the internet, cheese is $25/88 slices, I’m sleeping in a tent, there isn’t much greenery, it’s only light out until around 6, and we eat A LOT of PB&J, but that’s all irrelevant. The people are sweet and beautiful. The smiles are bright and welcoming. The spirits are appreciative and FREE.
Friday was our first day of ministry and already God is starting to break me. We spent the day at Tafara, a Christian center for orphans of AIDS to go after they get out of school during the week. Tafara can serve anywhere between 100-200 children every week and is run completely by volunteers. Every day, the volunteers begin preparing food around 9 AM or so in anticipation of the children’s arrival. As soon as we stepped foot onto the property of Tafara on Friday, the volunteers opened their hearts and their lives to us, showing us how making the food goes every morning, and laughed with us as we tried to stir the giant pot of sudza—cornmeal and water—and learn Shona, the local language.
After talking and laughing with them for a while, we gathered with Pastor Doria to share a Word, pray over the day, and find out more about Tafara and the problems they face. Because Tafara is a government-owned building, they are limited to only being open Monday-Friday until 4 or so. Because it’s run by volunteers, there is no budget, so they have to do their best to get all the food they serve from donations around the community. Pastor Doria’s dream for Tafara is to create a self-owned and self-sustaining property with livestock and a garden so that they can govern themselves and maybe even permanently house some of the children.
The children face an even bigger problem: all schools here are private and therefore have fees for attendance, uniforms, and books. Many of the children cannot pay these fees and are in serious danger of being turned away from school, which could easily destroy their hopes of a better life. Talking with Pastor Doria, and later that evening, we spent a lot of time brainstorming ideas on how to fix these severe problems, and will continue to pray for wisdom from the Lord for solutions. Please pray this prayer with us as we only have about 8 days left in Mutare and desire so deeply to make a lasting impact and help Tafara.
Around 12 or 1230 the children started to arrive and I immediately fell in love with each and every one of them. I couldn’t stop thinking all day about how amazing they were and how badly I wanted to just take all of them home with me! Ahhh, my heart was incredibly full after spending the afternoon playing and talking with them. Most of them didn’t really speak English, but simply wanted to be loved, hugged, carried, and played with. Also, they LOVED getting their picture taken and the older ones like taking pictures as well. I have to admit that I was nervous for my camera a couple times, but it was worth it.
In a previous blog I talked about how children love everyone immediately and you don’t have to win the heart of a child, and Friday I saw that proven true more than I ever have before. These kids didn’t know our names, that we were missionaries, where we were from, what our stories were, but they didn’t care. All they knew was that we were there to play with them and love on them and that was enough. Two girls, 2-year-old Avone and 7-year-old Nasha, took to me very quickly and barely left my side, lap, or arms all day, even while I was playing with other kids too. With a smile from me came a smile from them and vice versa. It didn’t matter that we couldn’t communicate with anything but signals; they only wanted to be held and be made felt that they were loved.
I have to wonder what exactly it is that these kids have seen and been through that makes them cling to ANY affection SO easily. I know they are orphans, but have they absolutely no one else? Even past their wide smiles and loud laughs, you can see it in their eyes that there has been true devastation in their pasts. Over and over again, my heart broke for them and the travesties of their lives, yet was lifted up in adoration of their resilience.
Friday may have been the best day of my life thus far. But it also might have been the worst. I was overwhelmed with joy, but wrecked with compassion for the sorrowful lives these children have lived. My prayer for them is that they will grow into knowing that, although their earthly parents are gone, they have a Heavenly Father who loves them beyond comprehension, that despite all the hardship they have faced, with faith in Jesus they will inherit the glorious riches and joys of Heaven. Please pray this prayer with me as well.
Saturday we were at a different ministry and Sunday we enjoyed the Sabbath with church and a party for Jenni’s baby’s dedication. Yesterday we were back at Tafara for a while then taken into Sakuvva OTS, where most of the children and many of the caretakers come from. I’ve never seen poverty like Sakuvva in my life; a whole family, sometimes two, stay in one square room that was barely big enough to fit our two “tour guides”, Tafara volunteers Winnie and Sara, four of my teammates, and myself. We prayed prayers of blessings, provision, health, and strength over Winnie’s and Sara’s homes, along with many of their friends. As we walked the streets almost everyone said “allo” (“hello”) to us with giant smiles, prayers, and happy hearts, showing me that my initial reaction of “oh, this is so sad. They don’t have what I have,” was unnecessary. Despite the deep poverty and crowded living, Sakuvva is abundant in joy and the people more content than people who live in material abundance. This is certainly something I’m still processing and working through in my own lfe. Stay tuned for updates!
Our internet isn’t strong enough to upload pictures yet, but I’ll do my best to get some up ASAP! I realize my blogs are probably difficult to read at this point because of so many words and no pictures. I’m also doing my best to get this consistently blogging thing down, so bear with me. God is taking me on an amazing journey and I’m so excited to share it with all of you! (:
