On the first Saturday of every month we meet with all the families of sponsored children. That’s 52 children (a few of them are siblings). Mike & I each go with a translator and use the “divide and conquer” method. We still easily spend 4 hours there on a Saturday. On the second Saturday of each month we meet with the unsponsored children, there are currently 33 of them.
This past Saturday was our first time meeting with these families since May (because we left the 1st of June). As we sat there meeting with families I made a conscious effort to look at each of them and to see them as a whole person. I didn’t want to just see “the mom of a child in our program”, but a whole person with dreams, hopes, abilities, desires. I felt the love of God for them as I looked into their faces.
However, it made my whole day emotionally, physically, and mentally draining. Our program seeks to help the poorest of the poor, so that means that when we meet with the families and ask them how we can pray for them, we hear about how they are struggling to feed their families, how they can’t find work or stable housing, and how they have problems in their bodies. We can not be their solution, we offer help in the ways that are part of the program, but for the needs that are beyond that they need to look to God as their source and for his help in becoming self-sufficient.
This is hard on me. I have a very strong mercy personality. Here is a definition I found for the gift of mercy: “The special ability that God gives to certain members of the Body of Christ to feel genuine empathy and compassion for individuals (both Christian and non-Christian) who suffer from distressing physical, mental, or emotional problems, and to translate that compassion into cheerfully done deeds which reflect Christ’s love and alleviate the suffering.”
This gift is a practical gift. Those with this gift find themselves visiting and assisting those in need, and often feel the pain of the person they are helping within themselves. People with this gift find it extremely difficult not to help those who seem less fortunate than themselves.
I think it is very difficult for someone who is strong in mercy to have to tell people all day long, “I know you’re struggling, and we will pray for God to help you, but I can’t do anything else for you right now.” As we were leaving the office after our 4+ hours spent meeting with families I was reminded of a scripture I had recently read in Numbers 11 about Moses. He was leading the nation of Israel across the dessert. The people were crying out for the meat they didn’t have:
10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the LORD, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.
That is how I felt. We need help. Please pray with us for God to provide someone(s) to come alongside and help us here in Rwanda. There is so much of our time that is spent in administration, while we would like to focus more of our energies on ministry. We need an administrator. Someone who loves God with all their heart, is honest, hard working and faithful. Someone who loves people, but who understands that it is not always in a person’s best interest to give them a hand-out.
Next Saturday we meet with the families of unsponsored children. Pray for strength & grace for us. Pray for all the families in our programs that God would give them favor to find jobs and creativity to find ways to provide for their families. I heard yesterday the unemployment rate in Kigali is 40%. It is not easy to find jobs.
We believe our God is greater & bigger. He is faithful to provide for his children. When Moses cried out for help, God provided elders and said, “I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.”
We are believing God for this!
God Bless You,
Lisa
