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Topic: Africa (03/05/09)
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TITLE: God Is In The Delays | Previous Challenge Entry
By Charlene Reid
03/12/09 -
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“Matatus (public transportation)… shutdown… bombings by outlaw mungiki, protesting UN removal of Police Commissioner and Attorney General (involved in killings following last year's post-election violence. Though I have been reassured mzungu ("white men") are not targeted…it is not safe to travel to us today.” Lisa
‘Great,’ I thought ‘another day of delays. I’ll never get to Nairobi.’
I was eager to see Tim, Lisa, Max, and Simon Chute who had left Canada almost a year ago when Tim accepted the position of Middle School Principal for Roslyn Academy in Nairobi, Kenya.
I would spend another day in Kakamega, volunteering with KAIPPG (Kenya Aides Intervention Prevention Project Group).
One of the children shared with me how she had lost her whole family because of Aides. I felt so sad for her. When I started to talk about God, she became very quiet.
“Have I said something to upset you?” I asked.
She didn’t answer at first and I watched her face. She was deciding whether or not to tell me what was on her mind. ‘Lord, Please let her share with me!’ I prayed silently.
Finally she brought her gaze to meet mine. The eyes that looked at me were much older than a child’s.
“You said that God loves you!” she said in a very small voice. “So why doesn’t He love me too and help me?”
Oh, my gosh!!! So many things flashed through my mind (not a few of which were my own nightmares) and try as I might I could NOT come up with an answer!!
I just looked at her and said nothing. She didn’t break the stare. Steadily her look penetrated my eyes searching for the same answer!
Feebly I heard myself saying “I don’t know.”
I felt sick and useless. All the times I had shared the wonderful Gospel message of Hope and I was speechless. Tears began to form in my eyes and my mind was screaming ‘GOD, what do I tell her?’
She watched my eyes overflow and gently she reached out, wiped my tear, and said “It’s alright.”
I took her hand and said “No, it’s not alright!!! It’s not alright that I all I can say is ‘I don’t know.’ But - I do know that God does care! I also know that He loves you. Sometimes things happen that we may never understand. BUT – God is bigger than all of that! He made everything that we see and don’t see. He has a plan. I’m so sorry that you have been hurt!”
What more could I say. I was so uncertain of everything at that moment.
“Maybe, God brought me here today so I could hear that.” She said “I’m not really sure that I believe it – but I sure can tell that you do!”
“Sometimes I wonder, too.” I told her. “But when I stand outside at night and look up at the sky and see the stars and the moon – I remember that God made all of that. Then as I stand in awe of His masterpiece spread on the canvas of the night, I remember how small I am and how insignificant compared to everything else. Then I remember that this same God created me. He created me because He loved me. He must be so sad when I hurt and so angry when someone hurts me. He wants me to know Him - and - no matter what, He promises never to leave me.”
I saw tears forming in her eyes and I gently reached out to wipe the ones that escaped down her cheek “And I know that He loves you too, and He cries when you do and he smiles when you do. He watched His own Son suffer too, but as He did he thought of You and Me and every other person in the world. It was to undo a bad thing that started way back in time. He undid the wrong to make a way for the right.”
“I want to believe you, but, it is hard.” she said sitting up straighter as if she had to be bigger.
“I could show you verses in the Bible that would help you to know for certain.” I said.
“I don’t have a Bible.” She said sadly.
I smiled and pulled out a Bible. As we sat there and searched God’s Word I remembered to thank Him for the delay today.
**Reference**
www.chutekenya.blogspot.com
KAIPPG - Kenya Aides Intervention Prevention Project Group
http.//www.rosslynacademy.com
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