Paul went into the valley today with Shane and Graeme. Shane is one of our dads and Graeme is a church friend and a new worker in the area. He is associated with a children's home but is going into the valley to meet needs. Graeme has found a 20 something African Christian who takes him down to meet families in need. Without Sophiso, he wouldn't stand a chance.
Conditions of squalor as far as the eye can see. Handicapped children and the elderly not being cared for properly but the family still collects money from the government. I suppose we have all heard about these kind of situations- But it is another thing to see it in person. They went to visit an incapacitated elderly woman and stumbled on an animal sacrifice being conducted by her family. When they prayed then and there, the gentleman sacrificing the goat, joined right in as if they could blend the faiths. This area is full of ancestor worship and witch doctors but they say they believe in Jesus too. The sacrifices still happen. Paul says he has seen severe poverty in Mexico where we used to go with our church to build "homes"; but this is worse than what we have seen and are sure exists in many places. Satan and his evil ways are at work in the area and strive to hold these people in bondage. The spiritual battle is palpable. AIDS sufferers are everywhere!! The local hospital/clinic has become a hospice for AIDS sufferers at the edge of death. Worst of all, they have concocted a narcotic made from the ARV medications given to treat AIDS that they call whonga. It's a blend of detergent powder, rat poison and crushed up ARV's or antiretroviral drugs distributed free to HIV/AIDS sufferers. This is what happens when people don't really have hope in Jesus.
Paul and Shane came home emotionally exhausted. How do you see things like that and not respond? How do we possibly help? How can this exist in the world? How can children steal from their elderly mother who has nothing when they have a job? These are all questions we will be praying through as we seek God's will for our involvement.
I can completely relate to where you are coming from- It's one thing to hear heartbreaking stories, but it does something completely different to the heart to see it in person. Evil is so much more black and white in other countries (we have deluded what is "evil" in the States to mental illness and entertainment). These strongholds go deeper than wanting a quick fix to pain, they are a hopeless and empty search of a filling that only Jesus can give. My prayer for you today is that God's truth and the hope we have in Him will shine so brightly through you, these people can't help but know there is something different about this God we serve (the only one TRUE God). I also pray that you guys will give these difficult sights to Him, and that He will give you all wisdom and knowledge in the role you guys play in these situations.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you all.
Amber
Thanks Amber! The feelings are confusing in a way- anger, sorrow. unbelief that someone really has to live this way. And you are right that there is only one fix. And so we pray and seek our God. Keep the prayers coming. Maybe NC can fill in the gap a bit here.
DeleteLauren