Sunday we went to the 91four house for a church service. Matt preached an awesome sermon and 2 more girls came to Jesus. We will baptize them in Lake Victoria on Thursday. The way these girls worship is like nothing I have experienced in the US. Their arms raised, eyes closed, some with tears streaming down their cheeks. When they pray ~ its with such conviction and intention. Their faith is so evident. Jesus, help me to be more like them...
Monday was a day at the bank and for purchasing educational resources for the teachers.
Today was a trip to Katwe and Kisenyi slums. This is where our girls were living before we brought them to the 91four house. This day takes some mental preparation and prayer. For me, it's just something I know I have to do and i know God goes with me. Even if I am hurt or disappear - no matter, He was with me. I have to go for several reasons. First, the tribal leaders need to know that we have not abandoned them like so many others. We need them to see us and know we still stand with them. Second, we need to do the hard work of remembering where these girls came from and where so many still remain. And lastly, we need to go because nobody else will. There is so much fear surrounding these people that no-one would ever step foot in this place that did not have to. But that is exactly why we have to go. These are human beings that never asked for these circumstances. That did NOTHING to deserve any of this. They are primitive and misunderstood and therefore rejected as ignorant, violent, savages. There are NO - I repeat NO government programs to help them, and they are suffering in ways you and I could NEVER EVER imagine. Raw sewage in their camp, filthy polluted drinking water, half naked sickly children and babies with snotty noses, pus-filled open wounds, covered in flies, protruding bellies. All they want to do is hold your hand and be held but there are so many of them. The women and young girls look absolutely hopeless knowing today will bring more hunger, rape and sickness. They sleep on hard dirt and mud when it rains. Besides a couple pieces of dirty fruit and what looks like old, used wrappers- there is no food in sight. The smell is unbearable and one you can't forget. Today, they sat us down on a piece of wood - the same one I sat on when I met them when I was alone on my first trip there - and told us we were like their family now. It brings tears to my eyes as I write this. We can only say, "God bless you." But they must be thinking, "No, clearly God has acctually blessed YOU." And they are right. But i believe they will enter the kingdom of heaven and meet Jesus ahead of everyone else because Jesus clearly loves the poor and oppressed. Jesus himself lived in poverty and oppression. He only had warnings for the rich man. And if you are reading this now, you, like me, are considered rich in this world.
As I was leaving Kisenyi slums today, my toes were covered in mud. Two small children came up to me and bent down and cleaned the dirt off of my toes. I went there to try and bless them, and they cleaned my feet. Jesus forgive me for not being more of who You call us to be. The life we are living now is not about us - it's about others and we just do not get it. We have no excuses because we have been told. We know what we are supposed to be doing. He made it clear. Obey Him.
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ~ Luke 12:33-34
