Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick? Well, alright.
It's only the second week of the race and I have already had the chance to experience God working in radical ways! Along with working at the Human dignity center with children who need special one on one attention to learn, and children who come from homes in the townships, my team and I have been able to work with adults in the townships as well.
One day last week, we actually got to travel into the township area, which is the poor parts of town where people build homes,eat, and survive out of whatever they can find in landfills. We heard of an elderly woman who had no family left at all, her husband died two months earlier. This woman was also disabled because she had been shot and her arm had been amputated because of it. Due to this disability, it is almost impossible for this woman to clean, cook, or do most anything someone living alone should be able to do. Our goal was to go into this woman's home, a shack made of cardboard, metal, and materials found, and make it livable. We went to the store and purchased items that we would need.
When we got there the woman was embarrassed, but when the woman who accompanied us assured her that we were just there to help, she reluctantly let us enter. Once inside we saw piles of dirty clothes on one side, stacks of dirty dishes on the other, a make shift bed out of old pieces of sponge, and no food. At that very point, my heart broke.
Without hesitation or judgment, my team started to fold clothes and sort through them. A couple of us walked to the water spout and retrieved some water so that we could get started on all the dirty dishes. After a couple hours, a little bit of elbow grease, and a whole lot of scrubbing, we at least had the home looking decent. Clothes were separated in bags, blankets were stacked, shoes were sorted, dishes were done, everything was scrubbed, and the floor rugs were swept. We also had a donation of a mattress to be able to give to the woman and a couple new blankets so that she actually had a place to sleep!
When we finished cleaning, we presented the woman with a few items we had purchased to give to her. Items such as shampoo, conditioner, laundry soap, Vaseline, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, and we also managed to get her a little bit of food! You could tell by the expression on her face and the tears welling up in her eyes that she was so thankful for everything. Before we left we asked the woman if it was okay to pray for her. Earlier she had told the woman translating that she was a Christian, so she let us. As we prayed, this woman wept! She had no idea what we were saying because she couldn't speak English, yet the holy spirit still worked in her life. It was an amazing, heart-breaking, eye opening experience.
Another thing we helped out with last weekend is something called the "Matthew Lunch." Here, over 250 homeless people were bussed to a church, where tables were set up on inside and out to feed them a full course meal. Showers were set up to clean them. And bags were put together to give them new clothes and a little bit of toiletry items to take with them! Also, during the meal there were worships songs, a sermon, and numerous amazing testimonies of people who had come from a life of nothing and gave it all to God! During this time the homeless also received bibles in their language, that were signed by some of the speakers and the people names put into it so that they had something that belonged specifically to them. That day about 60% of the homeless men and women there raised their hands to be prayed for and give their life over to Jesus! It was such an amazing experience. To be able to love them, serve them, and spread the gospel to them. I will never forget that day!
I cannot say enough how GREAT God is! I never in my life thought that I could make as big of an impact on peoples lives as I have here in Port Elizabeth, and it is just starting!
I would really like to continue my journey on the world race, and continue to impact people, and do what God has called me to do…. but I cannot do that without support. I am still short of being fully funded by about $6,500. I need $1,500 by December in order to stay on the race until February, and by February I need to be fully funded! I am faithful that God will provide, and I am asking you that if He lays it on your heart to support me to answer that call! Whether it be a one time donation, or a monthly donation in any amount, every little things helps! If you would like to make a donation, you can go back to my homepage kaitlinbackensto.theworldrace.org and click on the support me tab under my profile picture.
Thank you for all your support and prayers thus far. I love every single one of you!
– Kait 🙂
