little girl in the white dress...

Psalms 72:12 "For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper." 

        we see a precious little girl in a white dress...and many others who follow her steps...

Sherman stated that "American abundance and affluence anesthetize us. We are comfortable. We are not crying out night and day for God to bring justice on earth." 

God states in Jeremiah 22:16, "He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" 

Several have asked us how we are transitioning into this culture, coping with the vast differences, and connecting with those in this area. God, in His abundant faithfulness, has provided us with continuous opportunities to praise Him, within an ever-changing world. Its true that pain infiltrates its way into the lives of even His children. However, when difficulties arise, with God as our Father, we have reason to persevere amidst the pain. Everyday on our walk thru BulBul (our current home) we have floods of children running toward us with arms raised high to the heavens shouting mzungu, mzungu ninataka sweeties (literally means, white man, white man, I want candy). So, of course imagine the disappointment on the days that no more sweeties are available and we encounter the rapid thoughts of those who are truly in constant need. 

Surfacing from the crowd of children, a little hand grasped ours (her name Eliza), with the most beautiful smile you will ever see, 'mzungu, sweetie.' For about a week and a half, this little one wore the same outfit everyday- a little white dress with blue flowers- with dirt found in every crevice. About 2 years old, her entire self constantly looks like rag doll left in the mud after a long rain. No one seems to know her story. Who feeds her when food can be found? Who gives her a bath when there is water? Who tucks her into a shelter at night and makes sure that she is comfortable in her sleep? 

So, you ask, how are we adjusting? As we sit in an apartment with 2 chairs, no other furniture initially we may would have complained about being "comfortable." We see Eliza and her many friends and thank God for the blessing of a place to sit, within a shelter that gives us rest. 

As we have lived the past month with no place to cook, no fridge to store foods, and lived off PB sandwiches and oatmeal for dinner, we may would have complained about not having "anything to eat." We see Eliza and her many friends and thank God for the blessing of abundant source of food. A 'blessing' that accompanies mealtimes in the States, now takes a whole new meaning of true thankfulness. 

As we have no place to wash/dry our clothes and have to wash small bits every day in a small basin, we may would have complained about the extra time it takes to do "housechores." Yet, when visions of our new friends come to mind, we say prayers of thankfulness for clothes that continue to be clean and shelter us from this winter season. 

As we have no car or way of personal transport, we take strides with the public 'matatu' (which let me just say is daily an experience in itself). There are many opportunities to complain about the amount of walking we are doing and having to take rides that are never truly comfortable. But, we see our friends, and we say praises for the ability to afford transport and rather than walking 10 miles we are able to reduce it in half. 

So, we are daily reminded of the feelings of entitlement that can be embraced in a culture much different than your own. Knowing that in the States, we would have a full room of furniture, a fridge filled with an abundance of food, stoves/dishwasher, washer/dryer, 2-maybe 3 cars awaiting our departure. To transition here, where none of these things are at a hands reach. Where in order to sit and to know the people, these things will never be part of their days. 

Our prayer daily is that God will break our hearts for what breaks His heart. That we will never live in a place of entitlement that we deserve anything because of where we 'grew up'. May God continue to place within our hearts the Eliza's of this area= to shape us, to strengthen us, to break us, and to sharpen us- that for God's glory, every sweetie handed out will speak God's love into them and that one day we will see precious Eliza at the gates of Heaven with all the 'sweeties' she desires.