One of the most memorable moments from one of my trips was to a little village in Africa. I went with an Organization called Maisha International. This was my first time to Africa and at the onset of the trip I was really not nervous. I was thankfully provided with complete peace from the Lord before leaving.
I went with some amazing people that I am so unbelievably blessed to know and honored to serve with on that trip.
After arriving everything seemed so crazy and rushed...and I lost sense of time. The trip was planned perfectly, but I felt overwhelmed by everything my eyes were witnessing. It take a heavy toll on a person to see others suffering.
Children were walking in slums with no shoes....
Women were dying from diseases that could be easily cured if they lived here...
Nothing was so overwhelming for my heart as the time me and a couple other people from the group went out on home visits.
I can remember each moment of that day...
The sun was shining down so hot that afternoon. I was ill prepared for this day because I had forgotten my sunscreen. As we drove along the bumpy dirt road in our van my mind started to think of what I was getting ready to witness. I started to pray to God for strength and for the words to say in moments I knew would be tough. As our van came to a stop I felt my heart begin to race as I stepped out into the warm sunlight.
All I could see for miles was a sun scorched land. In the distance there were little mud huts. As we began to walk towards the huts I noticed several of the village people coming towards us.
A small woman, probably in her late 60s with skin so beautifully dark and hands worn from working in the fields came towards me with her hands extended towards heaven. At first I thought she was crying. To be honest, I was unsure how respond at first. As she came closer to me I realized she was calling out praises to God in her language for our arrival.
Before I knew what was happening she got down on her knees and bowed at my feet and grasped my hand and kissed it with such a deep sincere affection. In that moment I could not contain the emotion and tears that began to warmly cascade down my face. I grasped her hand in return and kneeled down beside her to meet her gaze. I knew not how to speak her language and she did not know mine...but in that moment our eyes told so much of what our hearts wanted to say. I reached across to hug this beautiful woman and she pulled me close and said something in my ear that I did not understand. As we stood to our feet she pointed towards a little mud hut that was about 50 yards away from where we stood. Everyone in our group began to walk towards the hut. As I turned away from her to follow the group I felt my heart ache in a way I had never felt before. What did she say to me in my ear I wondered...
What was her story...
Why was she pointing to this little hut that we were headed towards...
I turned back towards her to gain a final look into her eyes before we were too far away and my heart melted as she gave me the sweetest smile and waved my onward.
Her strength and humility gave me strength to march on towards our next stop.
God had ordained that meeting with that sweet woman to prepare my heart for who I would meet next.
As I caught up with the group they were all standing outside of the little mud hut.
Who would I find inside?
With a prayerful heart, a new found sense of strength and tear filled eyes I stepped into the tiny hut ready to see who the lady was pointing us toward.
I could not have been prepared for who I would meet next...
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