"Do you have black people in America?"

We’ve been here about a month now and time is flying. I’m halfway through and still there is so much that God has ahead. This weekend we spent our time at Sozo catching some of the World Cup here and there. On Sunday we went to Watoto Church again. The message was about God’s unconditional and unwavering love for us…how God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary. In the Bible God used some of the most unlikely people to do His work to bring Him glory. Pastor Eddie talked about how we don’t need to try to be perfect for God to use us. He can use us as we are right now as long as we completely surrender our hearts. I really enjoyed it.
On Monday we went back to Rays of Hope. I taught and had a wonderful time with the kids. They asked me some pretty crazy questions today (see the title) lol It is such a joy to spend time with these kids. They are so excited to learn and take absolutely nothing for granted. I appreciate all that God is teaching me through them.
Something God has taught me about this week is Romans 8:28 “We know in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” I have heard this verse so often in the tough times when things seem like they can never be good. People are always comforting with this verse and talking about how God will turn bad situations into good ones for those who love Him, but He brought it into a different light for me. I have been caught up in seeing the affects of what we are doing here. I want to tell people about Christ and see them come to know Him on the spot, but God said to me “This is for My glory not for your reward.” It struck me kind of hard because I didn’t realized that in my mind I had been stealing the Glory from God. I wanted it to be about me and my reaction to someone’s salvation, but God revealed to me that I may never see the results of the work He has for me to do and I should be overjoyed in just knowing that I am walking in the Spirit and following His commands. My actions may not receive direct rewards but I know that God will work all these things for the good of His glory because I am doing what I have been called to do according to His purpose for my day. Maybe I will just show the love of Christ to someone and we may not actually talk about it, but that person could go on a search of their own and find that love and share it with another. This is God using us as a vessel to bring people to Him according to His purpose alone. I must decrease so that He may increase.
Yesterday I held a four day old baby. Her mother died during childbirth so the Watoto baby’s home took her in. We were spending time with Jill and Katrina at their apartment and Annie, another lady that works at the baby’s home, brought home baby Grace. She was so tiny and precious. There are so many babies in need here. It is really sad. A lot of the babies are premature and malnourished so they don’t survive. Annie said Grace’s mom died from bleeding too much and when the doctors realized it they got scared and didn’t do anything. They didn’t even give her a death certificate because they didn’t want to deal with doing the work. How sad is that  It breaks my heart.
Annie also has a little girl that lives with her named Michelle. She told me that Michelle and her twin sisters came from a very bad orphanage. Annie’s parents adopted her twin sisters. Annie got Michelle when she was 4 years old and she told me that she had a lot of emotional damage. Michelle was molested at the orphanage by the man who ran and still runs the orphanage! It made me sick to my stomach and it made me cry. She was only a baby. I can’t even begin to imagine the terrible things the kids here have experienced. We have it so good. Michelle’s story is just one of too many here. That is something that happens quite often.
Yesterday during our devotion we talked about how God has blessed the nation of America. We have so much. There are very few people whose basic needs are not met compared to the rest of the world. We have been blessed not for our own sake, but to bless those in need. God gave us the capacity to give from what He has given to us. It is exciting to know that God has entrusted us to bless His people. How does the God of the Universe trust me with anything? It is a concept that I have yet to grasp.
Today we are going back to Rays of Hope to do some painting and share in a devotion time with them. It should be a great time!