Unimaginable Suffering

Sometimes I wonder why children have to endure so much suffering. They are purely innocent, yet they are forced to undergo an extreme amount of pain. When I reflect back on my childhood, I see I was very blessed to be born in the country and family I was. I sincerely cannot imagine facing even a small portion of what many of these Ugandan children face.

My biggest fears as a child were the dark, spiders, bears, and my house catching on fire. These children's biggest fears include hunger, bullets, death, being beaten, and having no place to live. As a child, I had everything I needed to go to school. In fact, I'll never forget the excitement I felt when it was time for "Back to School" shopping. In those days, I never had to think about being sent away from school. Now, as an adult, I see many of the children here don't even have a small notebook or a pencil or pen to take to school. I see and hear many children who have been sent away from school because they didn't have school uniforms, supplies, or couldn't pay school fees. (Actually it is almost a daily occurrence.) Additionally, I hear the orphans' stories about asking for these items from their extended relatives, who are acting as caregivers, only to receive abusive remarks such as "Go to the grave of your mother to get money for schooling." These children are left to beg from friends and others to receive or borrow one pen and notebook.

When I was punished as a child I deserved it, and it helped mold me into a better person. When many of these orphans are punished, it is often without a just cause and creates even more fear and pain in their hearts. As a child, I had daily chores to complete in order to teach me the value of having a good work ethic. Some of these Ugandan children are forced to do a large quantity of hard work every day, even before they go to school. As a result, they come to class late and very exhausted. Finally, when I was a child I remember laughing often and crying little. However, many of these orphaned children cry often and laugh little. The pain and sorrow is seen in their eyes, heard in their voice, and shown on their bodies. This cry for help is clearly communicated, and I cannot help but respond. It is my prayer that God will continue to use all of us to intervene in their situations and rescue many of these children.

Mixed Emotions

My return to Kyenjojo has been both exciting and overwhelming. I cannot express the joy that filled my heart as I attended my first service in two and a half months at God's Care Church. As I looked at the faces of all of my friends and especially the children heard the familiar voices and African songs, witnessed their exuberant dancing, and felt the strong presence of the Lord, I could not fight back the tears. These tears were tears of jubilation. I was so thankful to be back! As I stood to address the people, my voice choked and the tears again flowed. I did not expect to feel such strong emotions, but I know they came from the deep love inside my heart for these people.

It is truly beautiful to see how God has connected my heart to these people who live so far from where I grew up. It is incomprehensible to me how strongly my heart is drawn to this area. Even the people in the hospital in Kampala expressed their amazement for my love for Kyenjojo. They would say, "You and Kyenjojo. You must really love that place." I do love this area with all of my heart. I truly can say of Kyenjojo, "There is no place like home," because "Home is where the heart is."

On the other hand, I shed tears of sorrow and pain as I looked at many of our children at God's Care Church and was again faced with their numerous needs. Although I have spent one and a half years living in Uganda, I can say that the suffering of the African people and children still astounds me. I really cannot imagine what daily life is like for them or how much pain they endure throughout their lifetimes. When you look at their faces, their clothes, their bodies, and especially their eyes, you can only imagine what they have been forced to endure by no choice of their own. As I have returned to work, the many challenges and needs of the Ugandan children and people are again brought before me. For example, just this week these issues have come up. 1. A 13-year-old girl had to miss school on Monday to go get AIDS medication for her very sick mother. She came requesting transport money so she could travel 9 miles to a nearby village where it was offered for free. 2. The same girl has received counseling to address her question, "What if my mother dies?" She has been advised that she will be the one to care for her four younger brothers and sisters when it happens so she will need to work very hard to grow food for the family. (There are no adults staying with the children other than the sick mother.) 3. A boy of 7 is caned because he hasn't been going to school. When further investigation is done to see why he doesn't want to attend school, it is discovered that the reason is because he is hungry. He said, "The only meal I eat is supper. When I wake up in the morning there is no food, and it is very hard to sit in school all day without eating." At least if I stay home, I can find some little food. (Him and his two brothers age two and five look for small sweet potatoes in their garden or steal some from nearby neighbors' gardens. The mother and grandmother are both gone throughout the day, leaving all of these children to care for themselves.) 3. One of our sponsored childrens' mother's has come to ask for help because she fears her house is going to fall down. (We have many families in this area in the same situation.) 4. An older woman came to our house this morning saying she has been chased from where she was living and has no place to stay.

God continues to break my heart for these people. I have asked God to help me never grow cold or indifferent to their needs. I don't want to get used to hearing or seeing these situations. I want to hurt each time because if I feel no pain, I may not move in compassion and may lose my passion to bring hope to this nation. God continues to answer my prayer, but he does it through various ways. Even during my illnesses in Kampala, I was once again challenged regarding the suffering of others. I look at Uganda through different eyes because of the circumstances I personally had to endure. (Sometimes I wonder if my illnesses are part of my compassion training.) In these eyes, there is some sense of empathy and understanding because I too have had to endure pain and illness. But the sympathy is even greater because I know in the midst of my pain, I at least was given the opportunity to be treated in a hospital and did not have to walk miles to receive this service. I could rest in a bed, not on a hard dirt floor. I could ride in a car to the hospital for delivery, not in a taxi, motorcycle, bicycle, or no vehicle at all.

As I drive or walk on Uganda's bumpy roads and/or wait in numerous traffic jams, I look at the people through unveiled eyes and think about them with a renewed mind and compassionate heart. I once again find myself fighting back the tears and having a renewed urgency to do all I can to alleviate the suffering of others. I may not be able to solve all of the problems of Uganda or give assistance to each needy person, but I am determined to improve the lives of all I can. I have wholeheartedly resolved to commit my life to give new life to others.

The Power of Love

Here are two stories of love penetrating through communication, as well as other barriers, and making a difference in my life and the lives of others.

1. Pastor Victor and I chose to take in two orphans and begin caring for them from our home. Our hearts had been touched with compassion as we heard about the physical, emotional, and mental abuse they were enduring simply because they were orphans. We felt a special connection to them when we first met and saw great potential in them. We wanted to offer them a better life and future.

When we first took them in, it was especially difficult for me because I could only speak short conversations with them. They also seemed so independent and distant in some ways. It did not seem to matter if they received special love from us or not. When we would come home, they did not even seem to be very excited. Even in the times that I would travel to Kampala for doctor's appointments, they did not seem to miss me. It seemed that all they needed was a safe place to live and food to eat. I tried to remind myself that they were not accustomed to receiving tender love and probably did not know how to respond. I understood that it had to also be difficult for them to communicate to me because of their limited English vocabulary. (Although Pastor Victor had mentioned to me that they were not responsive to him either.)

I continued to pray that God would help these children feel loved in a special way and that the love they received from Pastor Victor and I would change their lives. I decided to do as much as I could to show them love, even if they did not react to it or seem to appreciate it. I would tell them I loved them before they went to bed, and they would laugh. I would tell them I missed them, but they would only smile or cover their faces. I would give them a hug, but they would simply act very shy. I would try to speak what I could to them and show them that I cared, but it did not seem to be making a difference.

Then one night (It was actually the night I returned from Kampala after being admitted in the hospital for the first time.), I saw a glimpse of hope as the boy expressed his heart to me. I had come into the house, but neither of the children greeted me or acted happy to see me. I greeted them, but I was feeling quite sad because it did not seem they missed me even a little bit. Later that night, when the boy and I were sitting in our living room, he looked at me and spoke these words in very clear English. "Thank you for coming back. I love you so much. I kept wondering, 'When is Abooki coming back?' I now feel much joy in my heart." I could not believe my ears. I was so touched I wanted to cry! I realized that I had made some impact on this child's life, and he did care for me. I said a very thankful prayer to God for this special moment and asked that He would send many more like it.

2. Due to health reasons, I have been away from Kyenjojo for over a month. I decided to call one of the ladies in the church just to see how she was doing. When I called her, she sounded very happy to hear from me. We only talked for a couple of minutes, but the joy that filled my heart as I heard her excitement lasted all evening. Then, shortly before I fell asleep I received a message on my phone that brought even greater delight to my heart. It said, "Though I don't visit you a lot, neither talk much to you, I do love you mommy. I miss you, and I pray for you always. Hope to meet you soon. God bless you mommy. (In Uganda, Pastors' wives are considered to be mothers to everyone in the congregation.)"

In this short message love was communicated more vividly to me than other messages or letters with many words. Once again, I find myself learning more about love. I learned… The value of loving others cannot be measured. The method of loving others cannot be clearly defined. It has no method or formula--it has to be a part of you. As love lives inside of you, it is freely expressed outside of you. You embrace others not just with your hands, but with your eyes, your ears, your words, your face, your heart, your actions, and your life. Finally, as you continue to freely give love to others, you find that somehow, somewhere, love is given back to you.  May God help us all live a life of love that we may leave permanent footprints on the hearts of others.


 

Keep Loving No Matter What

I think one of the most valuable lessons that the Lord has taught me while I have been in Uganda is "to keep loving" no matter what--no matter whether it seems my love is making no difference at all, no matter how I feel, no matter what I think, no matter what I see or hear... It is vital for me to keep pouring out my heart and acting out of love and compassion--no matter if it costs me my pride, my dignity, my comfort, my life…That is what Jesus did for us, and I have realized he expects no less of his followers. His love was not dependent on results. His love was not dependent on the reactions of others. He loved freely and consistently. I need to do the same. His life impacted and still impacts many because of the love that filled his heart; that love is still drawing many today, even though he is no longer physically present. It is our capacity to love that will survive even after we have gone. It is our heart of compassion that leaves a permanent mark on others' lives. It is not our money, our gifts, our words, or our prestige that truly counts in life. It is our ability to love and the measure we administer to others.

As I continue to live in Uganda and ask the Lord to fill me with more love for the people, I cannot say I have always seen immediate results from my actions of love. Nevertheless, I know in my heart that loving others wholeheartedly is changing others and it's changing me. There are challenges to showing love in a nation where genuine love is not easily expressed and can even be seen as a weakness, where mistrust, disloyalty, evil, and selfishness prevail, and where abuse and neglect are looked at as common place occurrences. Yet, I know one of the main reasons God has called me to this nation is to demonstrate and freely express His love to others. He has revealed to me that it is not money, power, or prestige that saves a nation; it is the agape love of Christ. This is what changed the lives of others two thousand years ago and is still changing the world today-when Jesus gave up his life for the sake of love and saved the world forever.

Pray, Be Still, and Let God Act

Pray, be still, and let God act for truly he is a miraculous God. I have seen this message become a reality in my life and ministry, but I continue to see it be fulfilled in greater magnitude as I continue to follow the Lord in obedience. We have a tendency as Christians to want things to be done in our way and in our time frame. I think that we, as Americans, especially have a difficult time being still. We get so accustomed to the fast pace of life. There are many things we don't have to wait for. There are time schedules that dictate and control our lives. Many times we don't even know how to slow down. If we have to wait for something or if we see things not happening, our first tendency is to worry, panic, or try to do something to make them move.

    Nevertheless, my time of ministry in Uganda (as well as my last year or year in a half in America) has really challenged this somewhat innate tendency of mine. The unbelievable part in all of this is that God has really given me peace to trust his timing and his methods throughout this journey of obedience. When I find myself beginning to walk down the path of fear and worry, the Lord gently reminds me that it is not my timetable, talent, or ability that is necessary for His mission to be fulfilled. He knows exactly what needs done and can make it all happen in just the right time. (I think sometimes he may delay things just to strengthen our faith and trust in Him and His promises—and maybe to remind us who is in control. Just think of how long Abraham had to wait until he saw his biggest miracle!)

    I have found it is important to be faithful and obedient in what God asks of you-to pursue what you can pursue and do all that you can do to see that things move. Yet, truly the most vital work that can be done is to pray and believe. This is one reason I continue to tell all of my supporters and prayer warriors that they play a very big role in this ministry. It is the prayers of all of us that are moving mountains-releasing the power of God and enabling Him to act on our behalf. (Isaiah 64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.)

    In this last week, I have truly seen many miracles in our ministry and am very excited about the open Heaven that has been released upon us. I rejoice because the prayers of many have been answered, and I know it is only God who has made all of it possible. I pray we all continue to learn the art of waiting, resting, and trusting in God.
 
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him…" Psalm 37:7

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

"And it will be said in that day, Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9

The Feet of the Suffering

One image that I have not been able to erase from my mind this entire week is the feet of one of our orphans who are registered for child sponsorship.  I looked at them on Sunday morning before the start of our Children's Church Service, but now-almost a week later-I still see them vividly in my mind.  I had called the girl from the group because she appeared as if she wasn't feeling well.  When she came up to see me, I glanced down at her feet.  They had many open wounds on them, even between her toes.  I asked my friend and coworker Peter what had caused them.  He told me "jiggers," which are parasitic larvae of mites that enter the skin of humans, animals, etc. The jiggers need to be removed soon after they enter or they continue to lay eggs.  As a result of having to dig into the skin, wounds can be created in the places where the jiggers have been cut out.  It was obvious that this girl had many jiggers that had entered her feet, but it also appeared like some of her wounds had become infected.  I cannot imagine the discomfort she must have been experiencing.  I felt pain just looking at her feet.  

As I looked at her feet, I thought about how much this little girl must be suffering, and the flame in my heart to relieve the suffering of children once again ignited.  I thought about the lack of care she must be receiving, and I prayed "God, please help me to be able to do something for these children.  There must be more that I can do.  Providing school supplies is not enough..."  I thought about her innocence...I thought about her empty childhood... I thought about her sorrow...I know that her guardian(s) may not purposely neglect this little girl.  They may just be too old and tired to have the energy to provide the care that is needed.  (One of the preventative measures for jiggers invading your house is to pour water on the dirt floor every day or smear cow manure on it.)  I have personally visited some of the children's homes and met their guardians.  I know that some of them are physically incapable of caring for the children with whom they have been entrusted. 

It breaks my heart to think about the life this little girl must be living.  Throughout the week I have been contemplating how the physical wounds in her feet also reveal something about the unseen emotional and psychological wounds in her life.  I have been thinking about what these orphans and vulnerable children must endure day after day.  I have been praying, "God please help me to find a way to improve their living conditions and bring hope in the midst of their suffering." 

Please keep praying for me and this ministry at large.  There are so many needs around us, but finding and implementing solutions is not simple.  It is much easier to see the detrimental effects of the problem than it is to diagnose and solve it.  We need the wisdom and strength of the Lord.  I know that Jesus is the only solution to Africa's suffering.  I am aware that my mission would be unattainable if I were pursuing it on my own,.  I am fully determined to follow God and follow His heart so that I might leave an impact on this world.  I know that God will help me "change a life" and "change a nation" one day at a time because He has called me here.

"Seeing Uganda Through God's Eyes"

My Dear Heavenly Father,

I pray that you would please help me to continually see Uganda through your eyes.  As time continues to pass, may my heart not grow cold or indifferent to the things I see around me.  May I not be overcome with frustration by the people who try to use me or simply look at me as someone who owes them something, but may I look at them with your agape love that loves even when the true intentions of the heart are revealed.  When I feel like the outcast, may I not cast out others.  When I quickly see the negative, change my attitude to see the positive. When I am only looking in the natural, change my eyes to see what you see in the spiritual.  Train my heart, my mind, my soul...

Teach me to place the same value you place on every individual-whether big or small, rich or poor, guilty or innocent, kind or unkind, grateful or ungrateful.  Teach me to always consider others as better than myself and focus on their needs instead of my own.  May the same love that compelled you to give up your one and only Son to save others, compel me to give up my life and my comforts to improve the lives of others.  I pray that my ears and heart would not choose to ignore the loud and silent cries of the suffering, but that I would become more attuned to the cries that you plainly hear and respond in a manner that you would want me to.  Give me wisdom to reach a nation and culture that is completely new and unfamiliar to me.  Give me the courage to persevere when I am tired, overwhelmed, discouraged, or confused.  Give me the grace I need to love, forgive, and serve wherever you lead me.  Give me the patience to move at your pace and not mine.  Give me the faith to always believe you for the impossible-no matter what the outward circumstances reveal.

I cannot do any of this on my own.  My eyes will grow tired of seeing...My ears will grow tired of hearing....My body will grow weary of giving...My heart will grow tired of hurting...

Yet, I know, if you place your heart in mine, I will never grow tired of seeing, hearing, giving, and hurting; instead, I will be ready to face another day pouring out my life as a love offering for others.

Trusting the One who Satisfies

It is amazing the lessons God teaches us through the simple events of our lives.  If I keep my heart tuned into His Spirit, I find the Lord speaking to me in a variety of ways and circumstances.  One of these lessons was taught through a little boy whom I took for medical treatment a while ago. 

After we had finished at the Medical Clinic, I wanted to take the boy to my home for lunch.  I knew that he had to be hungry because he had not eaten anything all morning.  This boy did not know how to speak English and our translator had left because he had other engagements.  I tried to say what I could to reassure the boy I was going to take him to a safe place.  This boy was extremely shy around me when he first met me so I was not sure if he would be willing to come with me.  All I could say to the boy was "Come, food.."  (I am still trying to learn Lutorro, but I am definitely not anywhere near being fluent.)  I then took his hand, and we walked together to my house.  As we were walking, God taught me a lesson about faith. 

This boy had few experiences with me, and he could not speak freely with me or understand most of my words.  He had never been in this area before, and he had no idea where I was taking him; yet, he trusted me to lead him to a place where he would be satisfied.  He put His faith in me and made the choice to walk with me.  He did not cry or scream.  He silently walked with me to the place where I led him.  As a result of him putting his trust in me, he received a full meal and became physically satisfied. 

At times, the Christian walk can seem very difficult.  We don't understand why things have happened or are happening...We don't know where we are heading...The communication between us and God seems to be unclear...However, God wants us to put our wholehearted faith and trust in Him-the only one who truly satisfies.  We need to believe that He is leading us in the right direction, and we can come to him to find true satisfaction for our hearts and souls.  We need to have quite confidence and trust in the Lord-not kicking, screaming, or complaining about where he is taking us, but completely submitting to His Lordship over our lives and going where He leads us.  I know this is much easier said than done.  I have moments where I struggle with where it looks like God is taking me or how He is doing it; however, this event with this little boy challenged me all the more to deepen my level of faith and obey the Lord-whether I am walking in blind faith or am seeing.  I want to be completely faithful to trust the only one who sincerely satisfies.

Walking into a Miracle

I was walking in Kampala, and I accidentally stepped on the back of a woman's shoe. I immediately said, "I'm sorry," and the woman said, "It's okay. You can go around me. I'm weak." I walked around her and continued walking, but as I did I her words "I'm weak" kept echoing in my ears and mind." I thought, "She must be sick." I felt a strong tug in my heart that I should go back and ask her if she was sick and if I could pray for her. I was nervous about going back to talk to her, but I knew it was something I had to do. I turned around and looked for her. At first, I couldn't see her, but then I finally spotted her. I quickly walked to where she was and proceeded to talk to her. During our conversation, I found out that she had been in a taxi accident a year ago. Ever since then, her foot had become crippled, and she had to stop working. As she shared her story, she continued to emphasize that God had kept her and her children throughout this difficult time. She really praised the Lord for His faithfulness and told me that she would not have made it if it were not for him. She told me she knew the Lord loved her and that even today he had used me to remind her of that. She had tears in her eyes as she spoke to me, and I felt my heart connect with hers in a powerful way. She told me that she prayed the Lord would bless me with a greater anointing to pray for the sick and bless my family and ministry. Then she continued to thank me for coming back. She told me she was very touched by my actions and that she is even going to consider me as one of her daughters. She told me that she would pray for me faithfully every day and the ministry God has called me to do. We exchanged contact information, and then I walked away.

As I did, my heart was so full. This simple gesture had not produced a physical miracle-I'm still praying for that-, but it had performed a miracle of the heart. I knew that this woman had been deeply touched, and I was also touched. I was blessed in my heart by her words and facial expressions. I knew that God had reached down and touched her today. Not because of who I am or what I did, but because I stopped to listen for the heart of God.

Many times in life we grow busy with our own lives and agendas. We forget to listen for God's heart. We can't feel the Master's "tug" on our heart because our pace of life or personal cares drown it out. I wonder how many opportunities for miracles or blessings we have missed just because we were too busy to listen for the heart of God. I pray that even in the midst of all of my cares and responsibilities, I will always take time to listen for the heart of my Master and follow His leading to those who desperately need His touch, those who need to know that there is a God who sees them and their condition, those He wants to remind of His love and care.

Tears of Sorrow Turned to Tears of Joy

He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted ... to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Kyenjojo (personal emphasis added). Isaiah 61:1-3

Offering comfort to those who mourn is often not easy, but I thank the Lord I was able to impact the life of one girl and change her tears of sorrow to tears of joy. I wish I could tell her story as clearly and full of emotion as she presented it Sunday morning, but I will try my best to retell it the best I can because I believe it is a story that needs to be told. You are also part of bringing comfort to those who mourn in Kyenjojo.

Rose's life changed dramatically at the age of seven when her father died of AIDS and her mother, also diagnosed with AIDS, was left alone to care for five children. Rose knew that from this moment on everything in her life was about to change. Her heart was filled with extreme pain and hopelessness as she not only had to say good-bye to her father, but also to her dreams of going to school and becoming a teacher some day. There was no way that her mother could provide food for all of the children and pay for school uniforms, supplies, and examination fees.

The pain was just too much for Rose to bear, and many times throughout the day she would find herself shedding tears uncontrollably. She would continue to ask her mother if she could go to school, but her mother could only reply that there was nothing she could do. Rose tried to raise money by selling the crops from their garden. She had calculated how much money she would need to begin school again, but she always found herself short because the money she earned would have to be spent on kerosene, salt, and other needs at home. Her mother was sick and very weak most of the time so she also had to care for her younger brothers and sisters.

One day, a woman came to ask Rose if she would come and work for her as a house girl and caretaker of her children. However, when Rose saw what the woman was willing to pay she knew it would not be enough to support her family. She also did not want to give up her dream of going to school. A few weeks passed and Rose had almost lost all hope of going back to school when a teacher from her school came to visit her. He had a muzungu (white) lady with him. Rose could not believe her eyes and could hardly contain her excitement! She never imagined that a muzungu would come to visit her. She thought in her mind, "Who am I to have a muzungu come to my house?". Nevertheless, the muzungu had not only come to visit her, but also to bring her all of the school supplies she needed to begin school. Her dream of going to school was actually going to happen! She was overwhelmed with such joy that she could not help but shed tears of happiness. Rose knew in her heart that from this day on her life was going to improve for the better. To this day, Rose has never forgotten the day the muzungu came and continues to thank God for the miracle that He brought into her life.

Healing Body, Heart, and Soul One Person at a Time

Over the past two months, I have had various opportunities to show the love of Jesus through providing medical treatment for the sick. In the US, I think we take medical care for granted sometimes, but my eyes have really been opened up to see that medical care is a precious gift for the people of Uganda-one that is not easily given. God's heart has surely directed me to the lonely, the sick, and the suffering, and I cannot help but respond to their cry for help. I know that I will never be a Medical Doctor, but in my heart I will always have a special place for the sick. I also believe that one day I will not only be paying for and/or providing medical services, but also I will be praying for and witnessing miraculous healings.

Here are just two stories of these precious people I have been able to touch by providing medical treatment.

$4 US Dollars Saves a Life
Early one morning a young girl about the age of eleven appeared at our church. (We had been praying all night so many people had spent the night there.) She asked for the Pastor and said that the matter was extremely urgent. She had walked for miles to tell us that her mother was very sick at home and had not been able to eat for days and could drink very little. You could see the worry and concern in this young girl's face, and we were all aware that the mother was the sole caregiver for her five children. (This family was enrolled in our Sponsorship Program; therefore, we knew all of their background.) We reassured the girl that we would come and take the mother to the clinic and pay the medical treatment costs. Pastor Victor and Peter took the motorcycle to collect the woman and bring her to the town for treatment. We found out that the woman had many sores in her throat, which was making it very difficult for her to swallow. After receiving the proper medication to treat her illness (a total cost of $4), we said a prayer for her and then took her home.

Two weeks later, the woman visited our church and stood up to testify that she had been completely healed. She tearfully recounted her story and gave all the glory and honor to the Lord. She said that as a result of the Lord healing her life she made the choice to get saved. She ended her testimony by thanking us for our assistance. The gratitude on her face warmed my heart more than I will ever be able to describe and again reminded me of why God has sent me to Uganda. In addition, this incident sincerely left a lasting impression on me because I could not stop thinking about the fact that this woman could have died because she did not have $4 to pay for medical treatment. I thought about how many people were just like her, but never had anyone to help them pay less than $5 for medical care and died as a result. I thank God that this woman's life was saved, but I pray for God to continue to give us opportunities to bring life and hope to others.

Blessing Jesus Through a Small Child
I was sitting in my house writing some letters when I heard the voices of children outside. I got up to see who was out there, but before I could reach the door a small girl, about the age of 3, came walking toward me desperately crying out, "Abooki food". I took her quickly in my arms because I could see from how she was walking and talking that she was quite sick. When I brought her near I felt her body burning up and could hear that her breathing was very shallow. Her little brother entered the house and told me that his sister was very sick. (These children often come to my house for food because they live very near my home. They are always poorly dressed and extremely dirty. Their mother does not seem to mind about their well being. In fact, she just goes around the town begging for food and money.)

I told the boy that we were going to go to the clinic and I picked up the little girl and carried her to the nearby medical clinic in town. They began to ask me how long she had been sick and where her mother was. I informed them that I did not know how long she had been sick because she had just come with her little brother to my house today. I told them I also could not tell where the mother was because these children often wandered around alone. They took the girl's temperature and told me her fever was very high. Then they proceeded to take her blood. This process was very difficult for me because, of course, the little girl was in pain. I held her tightly in my arms to comfort her and prayed for her to have peace. She quickly stopped crying and even said "Bye" to the nurse who took her blood.

We then waited for her results. The doctor retook her temperature when she came to see her. It had risen two degrees in that short time. The doctor informed me that the difficulty in breathing was caused by the high fever. She then said that the blood test revealed the girl had severe malaria, and they would need to give her an injection and a number of tablets for treatment. I told the doctor I would keep the medication and administer it three times a day because I knew that the mother would not take the responsibility to do it.

For the next five days, I administered the tablets three times a day to that little girl. It did not take a big sacrifice on my part to complete this task, but I knew in my heart that each time I gave that little girl her medication I was ministering to Jesus. In my mind, I considered this act to be very small--After all, I only paid $7 for her medication and was just handing her tablets to swallow and food to eat--yet, in my spirit, I strongly felt the Lord's pleasure in my actions.

Always remember that although our little acts of kindness may seem very small in our human eyes, they bring great delight to the heart of God and are magnified in His kingdom. Never stop blessing others with simple acts of kindness! Those who have made the strongest impact on others and have changed their society for the better did not do one great big task; instead, they consistently did small acts of love and service. These simple acts of kindness are what change the world!