Tension of a grasping hand.

Tension of a grasping Hand.

Jim Elliot stated: “Father, let me be weak that I may lose my clutch on everything temporal. My life, my reputation, my possessions, Lord, let me lose the tension of my grasping hand…, Only open my hand to receive the nail of Calvary, as Christ’s was opened- that I, releasing all, might be released, unleashed from all that binds me now.”

Today as we found ourselves within the heart of the slum, we gained much understanding in the immense necessity to lose the tension of our grasping hands.  A tension that can be defined by holding onto our comforts, by striving toward what is self-satisfying, and by guarding ourselves from the pains of this world.  Moments where poverty’s paralyzing nature overwhelms us and leads us into wrestling with feelings of great helplessness, God brings His abounding strength and deep wisdom to ease our weary minds.  Aureius rightfully stated that “a man’s thoughts dye his soul.”   We have learned the vital truth that the moment our thoughts race toward helplessness, we must run fiercely in the other direction, straight to the heart of our Father. In our own power, we will never possess enough strength to face what surfaces before us- never have enough grace to continue in love with those who may hurt us- never have enough love to bestow upon those who do not return our extended efforts- never have enough understanding to face the gruel realities of this world- never have the ability to loosen our grip on what so tightly binds us. “…Only open my hand to receive the nail of Calvary… that I, releasing all, might be released, unleashed from all that binds me now.”

Gichagi village is a slum environment nestled behind the African Inland Church, where its inhabitants search high and low to secure a job during the day that will feed their children at night. Many of the children may eat breakfast and then if their parents secure work the children will be satisfied by a meal of some kind. We spent today investing in the hearts of those who God placed before us. Within this journey, we came across a family represented only by the children: a boy (John), around age 10, holding his younger brother (Bryan), around age 1, on his shoulders. With his pants hanging off, with no diaper to be found, this little boy’s yellow hairline demonstrated his parent’s great difficulty in securing enough food for this family. The oldest (10yo) serves as both mother and father during the day to his three younger siblings (6 yo, (Francis) 3 yo (Sarah), 1 yo. (Bryan)). Not able to attend school because of fees,  John attentively cares for Bryan as us ‘mzungus (white man) attempt to hold this little one and he crawls back into the arms of his brother. John serves as a shelter among any storm that may thwart the safety of his family. ‘Oh Father unleash us from all that binds us now. When we feel helpless as in our efforts do not sustain, keep us focused on your Providential Hand. Father, let me be weak that I may lose my clutch on everything temporal. ‘ Recognizing the vital immediacy to lift their display of hunger, God provided enough food to take care of his family, as well, as the other children in need who encompassed him. Witnessing this provision released the helplessness that we can battle with so desperately in this context. Knowing that God is the father to the fatherless and the protector of widows; that the righteous will not go hungry. -Proverbs 20:13  “Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty, open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.” 

‘Oh Father that we may loosen the tension of our grasping hand and anything that may enslave us from extending the fullness of ourselves to others. ‘ As the children forcefully took down their pieces of food, justice shown itself differently through a moment we witnessed with two very young boys aiding one another in survival.  The released tension of a grasping hand was exemplified through the open hands of Christ as we sat with a young boy who displayed the alcohol that is fed to him to crave the hunger pains and the other who displayed the malnutrition that has attacked his feeble body for some time.  In a moment where the oldest could have held tightly to his opportunity of nutrition for the day, this precious one sacrificially gave up his guarantee and risked acquiring food for another time for the sake of another. The older of the two took it upon himself to make sure the little one received every ounce of bread within his body.  As the youngest was struggling to hold the bread in its entirety, morsels began to drop into the dirt below.  The oldest, so tenderly, caught the morsels within his tiny hands, and fed every ounce of remain to the youngest—not one morsel found itself into the dirt below.  It was a moment of rare sacrifice that truly showed us the ability we have to loosen the tension of our grasping hands—to release the comforts that bind us, to release the self-satisfying efforts, and to release the guard that clothes us.   In our culture, we hold on to so many things that bind us from seeing the needs of others—be it a fear of the unknown, an exhaustion of extending to those in need, an unwillingness to invest our time in others, or an excuse of helplessness that our efforts will not sustain. In this culture, it is their way of survival to look after those who encompass their steps. May we all search after the things that enslave us, and release them so that just as Christ’s hand was opened, ours will spread fully in the same accord.

We posted some pictures of these little ones on Facebook. Here is a link that you should be able to view the pictures.

Album: Gichagi & BulBul

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=288338&id=611190289&l=872a95454c

To see other pictures of our time here thus far, you can view another album at this link below:

Album: Kenya Adventure

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=277801&id=611190289&l=f92fddf2a2