(An old blog) Africa Trip -2008

This blog means a lot to me... probably one of the most meaningful moments in my life...

I hope it will challenge us all to live different.

Our last day of ministry ended with time at Manpo Hospital.  I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a big fan of hospitals.  But faced with the chance of sharing God's purpose and hope to a hurting generation, I knew I had to be a part of this.  We walked into the children's ward not sure what we would see.  On the walls were posted Disney characters, the once white plastic now turned yellow.  Each wall was lined with old metal cribs, the white paint, now chipping away.  It seemed like I was stepping into a hospital in the 1940's. 

Children's arms were wrapped in makeshift slings. Some baby's crying, while mothers sat close to them, while some laid thee on their own -no one to hold them, no one to comfort them.  One baby, laid there in solitude, not able to open her mouth, but whimpering from the pain of the soars that covered her body.  I looked into her deep brown eyes, wondering if anyone would tell her that she mattered, she had a purpose?  Later holding her in my arms, I hummed a simple song to her, a song that by fifth grade made me roll my eyes, because it made me feel like a little kid.  Now, this day, I realized that within this song was a message that I wished her tiny ears could understand and remember.  Jesus Loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so...  Will someone be there to read her the Bible and tell her how great God's love is for her? Were the soars on her body from burns that she suffered from neglect, were they from AIDs ravaging her body, slowly tearing away at her skin?  As the questions filled my head, I wanted to weep for her.  Who would be there for her? How much time would she have to live her life on this earth? God why would such an innocent life be suffering so much?

I was not there to feel sorry for her though. We were here in this ward to deliver hope, purpose, God's love to her.  For the short time we were there, minutes, I  had to believe that God had a purpose for her.  Even at her young age, I prayed that she would know that purpose and find that great love that God has for her.  I prayed that she would continually feel God's love wrapping her close.