Light in the darkness

As I lay in bed at night all I can do is think of my nights in Africa.

I close my eyes and I can see the faces of the little children that surrounded the orphanage just days ago.

I can hear their beautiful voices singing praises; and I can imagine their faces as they close their eyes and lift their hands to heaven in complete submission to Christ.

My memory is filled with tiny dirt-covered feet that are calloused from walking miles with no shoes. I can see small hands reaching out....

I carried so many of the children when I was there; but I didnt realize that I would continue carrying them even after I returned home.

I mean, I knew I wouldn't forget them, but I did not know that my heart would refuse to let go.

I know that when people get back from something like this they feel motivated and empowered to do something.

But I feel small...

And Africa is big....

I have heard it said that motivation has a 48 hour shelf- life. As I think about that statment I begin to wonder if the motivation I have to help the children I met will soon fall into that category.

So do I just keep the memories I made with the children, or do I do something to help now????

The needs that the people have in Africa are so great, and I feel so small; especially now that I am thousands of miles away from them.

I want to do so much to help, but I don't know where to start.

I want to make an impact, but I don't know what will help the the most.

All I know is that I have to start somewhere!

Because there are so many needs I decided to focus my attention on one need that I thought would benefit the people the most.

The need : LIGHT!

I decided on this because so many of the women and children walk miles at night in the darkness. Women carry small children on their backs as they walk through fields that are only lit by the light of the moon.

As I began to focus on this need, I began to feel insecurity creeping in again. I was afraid that the task I was setting out to complete would prove to be too hard to complete.

I wondered.... Could I really help????

Instead of trying to answer that question on my own, I decided to seek the answer from Jesus.(good thinking huh..... I know.. duh right?)

The answer I found was in Luke 14, verses 16-24

In this passage Christ is giving the parable of the Great Banquet. He is explaining that even though some may know about the banquet, they make excuses not to come.

We see this when He says,

"A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, Come for everything is now ready. But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, I have bought a field and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen and I go to examine them. Please have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master became angry and said to his servant, Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame. And the servant said, Sir what you commanded has been done, and still there is room. And the master said to the servant, Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet."

This portion of scripture really brought me to my knees.

The Lord reminded me from His own mouth that I CANNOT make excuses to sit by and do nothing more to help the people I met.

Serving people does not stop just because you are not with them anymore.

I must be an ambassador for the widows and orphans that I met in Africa.

Paul says in Ephesisans 6:19-20 that we should pray " for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak"

Paul tells us that He is ambassador for Christ.

This means that his mission is to be a voice and representative of Christ. He was called by the Lord to share the gospel in order to save people. No matter how hard his journey was, he was called to proclaim the message of Christ.

Paul was called by the Lord when a bright light appeared in front of him, telling him to surrender his life. He then became a light to the people that he met and for so many of us as we read the books he wrote in the Bible.

He was called to be a light in order to share the Light of the world!

As I really began to wrap my mind around that, I started to see that we could share the Light of Christ by giving the people of Africa the ability to have light!

On the last day of my visit in Africa I gave my flashlight to a woman who was about to walk 5 or 6 miles with a baby on her back...in the dark. When I gave her the flashlight her eyes began to fill with tears and she humbly bowed her head and said thank you. You would have thought I had given her a million dollars. But, I guess a small light in the vast darkness would definitely be a valuable treasure.

So...here is my idea.

I am going to start researching different flashlights and different ways that I can bring light to the darkness.

Please be in prayer as I begin this journey.

Pray that I find the right tools that will help the people.

Pray that I do not give up when things prove to be tough.

Pray that people will have open hearts, and the willingness to help.

The widows and orphans of Maisha Orphanage were a shining light that illuminated my need to step out of my comfort zone and be willing to help even beyond my mission trip. So, I believe that in return, I can send them a small light that will remind them that the Lord is faithful to provide even in the midst of darkness.

Oh how He loves you and me!!!