Hope

I’ve been starring at this screen for almost an hour, trying to figure out how to even put my day into words.  I went back to the slums today with Abby to help at the school.  The school is made up of 140 students and 5 teachers.  Yep, not a very good student to teacher ratio.  And it’s not because they can’t find teachers to teach, it’s because they can’t afford to pay any more teachers.  Absolutely breaks my heart.

We started our time there helping serve porridge to the kids for their morning snack.  After that, Geoffrey, the man who started the school and the church, took us to the house of the four kids that we met when we went to the slums for church.  Geoffrey sleeps in the slums almost every night, because he said that is where his heart is.  What an inspiration!  We walked down dirt sidewalks lined with trash and waste to get to the house, and climbed up wooden stairs that were very close to breaking. The home had to have been 10x10, with tin walls and a tin roof.  It consisted of one bed and one chair that had no upholstery whatsoever.  Once we arrived at the home, we talked to the mom a little about her family.  She has five kids, with one of the way, that all live in that small home with her.  It blew my mind, and I have definitely never seen anything like it.  Before we left, she gave Abby and I some avocados to take home.  This is when my heart almost broke.  This lady, who had absolutely nothing, wanted to give us something to take home to show her appreciation for us.  What selflessness in the midst of such poverty.

In the home in the slums with Abby, the mom and two of her five kids.

After we left her home, we went back to the school and helped in the classrooms.  I helped an incredible woman named Nancy teach a class of 63 kids.  It was a mix of 3 and 4 year olds because they can’t afford to pay another teacher to come in and help.  We colored, looked through flashcards and sang songs.  Once it was time for lunch, Abby and I helped serve lunch and then talked with Geoffrey for a while about his ministry and learned more of how we could help.  We ended our time there singing and dancing with the kids.

The kids.  They are more precious than words can even describe.  Their smiles and innocent faces brought so much joy to my heart.  My cheeks hurt by the end of my day there because I was constantly smiling.  They were enthralled by Abby and I, wanting to high five us, touch our skin and sit as close to us as humanly possible.  They repeated “mzungu mzungu” which means white person in Swahili and “how are you?” at least 100 times.  These kids are a perfect picture of Jesus’ love because they showed such an unconditional, deep love for us, having only known us for a few short hours.

All of the kids waiting patiently for their porridge.

My precious friend Mary, who overflowing with oh so much joy.

The verse that I kept repeating in my head throughout my time in the slums was Psalm 9:9-10.

“The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.  And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

The Lord is strength for all of those people living in the slums who have placed their trust in Him.  Although they are going through living in such difficult circumstances, it says it so plainly in Psalms that the Lord has not forsaken them.  The Creator of the Universe delights in them.  Throughout all of the dirt and poverty, the glory of God is still so evident in the ministry Geoffrey has started, and I know He is shining so bright through those kids and members of the church.  In an area that seems so dark and broken, those kids are filled with an overwhelming amount of hope, thanks to Geoffrey and the work Jesus is doing through him as he daily exemplifies what it looks like to take up your cross and follow Jesus!