His Precious Presence

I had wondered how my heart would take all "this" during my stay here. Back home when the fall season would start, my heart would just break for the homeless in Minneapolis because it would start getting so cold for them. You could see me crying as I would drive down certain streets and sometimes I would chase after some homeless person trying to help him/her. That was just one little need I saw. I didn't know how I would handle so many needs once I got here.

During the week, I would hitchhike to town, jump out of the truck and literally take two steps and would be asking someone if our group could pray for them. There were so many bloated bellies, torn clothes, hunger, and heart-breaking stories. The reality here for so many people is just so unimaginable.

What I have been learning is the need to just take moments in His precious presence because it can make it worth looking out and going out again. My goodness, people live in ways all around the world that resemble what hell could be like. I’m learning how to quickly run to Him with my troubled heart and have hope poured back in. Then I can at least keep my eyes open knowing God is with me.

There was this adorable little girl with Down’s syndrome I met on one of my village visits. She had such a contagious laugh and her smile would just melt my heart. Her laugh was so cute as she sung songs and danced around. (I seriously would have put her in my pocket.) It was hard to leave her. A few weeks later, I was in a different part of the village at a market and I came across her again. This time she was alone (most kids walk around in groups) and her belly was so bloated that her shirt looked like a bra and her head was shaved. I was shocked. I went up to her and I couldn’t even get her to look at me. I grabbed her hand and she let me hold it, but she wouldn't talk or make eye contact. She only walked a couple steps with me before she stopped. A million things went thru my head...”What do I do? Do I pick her up and take her back to the base? Would she scream? What would the village people think if she started screaming because some stranger had grabbed her?” I tried everything to get her to come with me. We were both in the dirt as I tried/pleaded with her to come. She just stared blankly ahead as if I wasn't there. I finally had to leave her. It's in moments like that where I could choose to put walls up and just be frustrated with a broken heart. But I’ve learned to run to His arms and those few moments in Him made it worth it again to keep looking for her again. I’m even learning more about how He feels when he sees one of His kids hurting, not willing to make eye contact with Him.

 We had some amazing speakers come in the last couple weeks and I still could just pinch myself to make sure that this wasn't a dream. It's such an incredible time and I am so blessed. A new baby house was opened so they can take infants and the new Iris boat came to the docks on the last day of class! We had a graduation ceremony that lasted an entire day and it was filled with picture taking, games, singing, and chicken!!! I went in one of the longest fire tunnels of my life. There had to have been 75 people lined up on one side. Picture over 150 total creating a fire tunnel...oh and we had chicken :) I have a new fondness for meat now.

The last two weeks in Africa have been such a blur. They had a class about re-entry one day and one of the things they advised us not to do was to talk about our digestive troubles since that has been a recurring topic over here. Ha!

I am now in Thailand with a team from Iris and will be here for three weeks. I think I described what I would be doing in my second blog post. I will update this again when I get back to the States.

Thank you again for all the prayers, encouragement and blessings that all of you have poured into me. I couldn't have done this without you.