Our hearts breaking open

11-23 pt 2


(Before I go any further forgive me for not sharing with you that Deb has fully recovered after a day of rest on Monday and she resumed normal participation in ministry activities on Tuesday and even attended the service on Monday night.)

One of the great challenges of a trip of this nature is to process the many emotional and touching things that you encounter while still operating at level of interaction with the people of the community. Tuesday evening we were gathered as a team in our “bunk house.” We began to sing some worship songs together which turned into a small scale praise service. All of our hearts were greatly blessed and encouraged.

As the singing concluded we began to share perspectives of the day and went around the circle sharing high points and low points. Many of the low points focused on what we have observed as a much greater sense of aggression in the children, especially towards each other. The high points were many and very exciting. Some shared of their visits to their sponsored children others of being encouraged by seeing God at work in families around the community, still others of the very encouraging time at VBS.

Dan shared, somewhat emotionally, about a young boy he had seen in passing who was obviously needing special needs education. He shared how he couldn’t imagine how this kid was going to get the help he needed and then reflected on how his daughter needed and received so much help. The needs here go from basic to complex and they all impact us so much.

Reanne was impacted today by the great need and shared about feeling overwhelmed by what needs to be done. But she also shared that God brought her to the realization that we have a very specific role for a short time and the rest is to pray and trust in God.

A few shared how before visiting their sponsored child they were little more than a picture on the fridge and a check in the mail. But the warm welcome received on meeting them and the time together really struck them deeply at the personal sense of need and the huge impact that the sponsorship brings to these lives. Hope is among the greatest things we bring to this community and more than that hope in Christ.

This morning we will be making some more sponsored child home visits and continue the work of repairing the house. But one special opportunity we have is an invitation from the principle of the school to speak to the children there. Bob and Lori will be speaking to them about the dangers of HIV and the impact of teen pregnancy, while sharing with them God’s plan for marriage and relationships. They will speak to both the morning session and the afternoon session. Please pray for them as they share this message. Pray also that the kids would be receptive to this message. The pattern of early pregnancy is everywhere. So many of the young mothers we see are 16 or less.

All the team sends blessings to their families and loved ones at home.