When am I going to get it? When am I going to know how to be Christ? Last night I was convicted about something. The little kids who come running to me yelling “Mzungu”, who ask, “how are you?”, who wait expectantly for me to hold out my hand and touch each one of theirs, I stop for these kids, each one of them. But what about the little adolescent boys who can’t be more than 13 and maybe as young as 9 or 10, carrying what only looks to be alcohol, who holds out his hand asking for food, money, anything. I have found myself not stopping for them. With judgment and preconceived notions, I think they will probably pick pocket me. How dare I. Did I stop for these boys? No, with arms full, water in hand, I just kept on walking, with a sympathetic look, saying, “sorry, I’m sorry…” as I’m protecting my things. As I was lying in my bed last night it hit me, Martha, why didn’t you stop for them (Why didn’t you stop for Me). Why am I not ministering to them? Why am I not showing God’s love to them? Those are the ones Jesus would have ate with. Those are the ones Jesus would have sought out, saying “come and follow me, be my friend, I love you.” Why am I not trying to make a difference in their lives? They deserve my time, my attention, my acceptance, my love. So I was determined to start the next day with this conviction in mind-that I would stop for them, no matter what. No matter how much I had in my hands or where I needed to go. I would stop for them, so that some way or some how they might feel they are worthy, they are accepted, they are cared for, they are loved.
Today God gave me another chance. A boy who was probably 12 years old, no shoes, torn clothes, mysterious bottle in hand came up to me. He asked me to buy him food. I held out my hand to him, he took it. I asked him his name, I asked him his age, I asked him what was in that mysterious bottle and why. He told me it was glue. He asked me to buy him food once again. I saw a woman selling bananas on the side of the road, so I went to her and bought a 10 shilling banana. I handed it to him, he said thank you and walked off. Then I proceeded to my destination where I bought a 40 shilling coke. Apparently I still haven’t gotten it.
