A couple years ago I had the opportunity to go to Malawi, Africa on a medical mission trip. While there, our contact arranged for us to go to an “orphanage” for kids affected by HIV/AIDS. One little girl in particular stole my heart…here’s the story.
(She’s the little one front and center)
Our van pulled up to the compound (a cluster of houses – the “orphanage” was a group of adults who cared for the orphaned children in their village, so they lived in community with each other), and we were instantly bombarded by a group of young boys – they wanted to know everything about us and hang all over us and play with us. After a few minutes of play we were instructed to sit down for a program that they had prepared. During this program, this certain little girl was off to the side, quiet, and all by herself. She looked very malnourished with her distended belly and tiny arms and legs, and my heart immediately broke for her.
I couldn’t speak with this girl because of the language barrier, but I motioned for her to sit on my lap and I cuddled with her during the rest of the program. I don’t know this little girl’s name, but I do know that God put her in my life for a reason. God used this little girl to speak to me about His love – he calls the broken, the hurting, and the outcasts to Himself and says “come sit on my lap, cry with me, and share your struggles with me.”
I hope that throughout the next year on the World Race God will allow me to have more experiences like this one. I’m continually praying for God to break my heart for the things that break His heart.
