Have you ever noticed the drastic contrast between the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich? Have you ever driven down the street and past the shacks of the slums and then not even 1 mile later seen the mansions of the rich? And if you do see these things do you ever think twice about it?
This is what I see everyday. Our ministry here in Plettenberg is absolutely amazing, but the reality of this place makes my heart break. We are working with a ministry called Volunteer in South Africa, and basically we get to have soccer camps and just fun time with the children of the “slums” everyday. These children are so full of life and so happy, but if you look at their homes and the way they live it is so sad. Everyday we drive there and the children run up to our taxi and yell our names and are just so excited to see us. They just want to be loved and I love loving them! Loving these children has become the cry of my heart! Showing them the joy and comfort of their Daddy’s arms is all that I long for. My only purpose is to be Jesus to them. To open my arms and let His love pour out!
Then on our off days we drive about 2 minutes past the community of children and we arrive at the most beautiful beach I have ever seen in a very high-end vacation spot. Everyone in the town is dressed to the nines or they are hanging out at the beach with all of their fancy things. In my mind I want to judge and scream out about the slums that I see everyday and how it is only 2 minutes from the beach, but then the sweet gentle voice of the Holy Spirit reminds me that this type of thing happens everyday even in my home town. He reminds me of the streets and houses that I used to pass everyday and how i never thought twice about it.
It is crazy how different life is on the race and how much more I notice things that i never noticed before. I thank God everyday for opening my eyes to the things of this world that I would never see in America.
