Truth

I just recently finished reading "Kisses For Katie" by Katie Davis, a nineteen year old missionary in Uganda.  Missions have always been a HUGE passion of mine, ever since my trip to an orphanage in Ghana, Africa in 2004. Talk about life-changing!  I'll never forget what God showed me in a small schoolroom halfway around the world. Reading "Kisses For Katie" brought all those fond memories about relentless love, compassion, and redemption back to the forefront of my heart and mind. It was such an inspirational book, even for those that may not have a heart natually bent on international missions. Because, honestly, we are all missionaries in various forms. I am a missionary everyday to my two dependant little boys who rely on me to exemplify God's character in every little thing I do every day. We don't have to go halfway around the world to minister. We are responsible now.  Right here. Katie said it best in one of her journal exerts that I will leave you with today:

"Amazima, in Luganda, means 'the truth'. To be honest, it was chosen quickly without much thought, because we had to provide the government with a name for our nonprofit.  God said to me, 'You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.' I opened my Bible to John 8 and it said, 'You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.'  I went to church that Sunday and guess what the pastor said?  Yes.  'You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.'

Today, about a year after naming this ministry Amazima, I stand in awe of the truth with which God has presented me.  In Uganda, I strive to teach my children and all children in our program and in our villages 'the truth' of Christ.  I know I cannot walk into a village and tell a child that Jesus loves her.  She cannot comprehend that because chances are, she has never been loved.  I have to feed her, clothe her, care for her, and love her unconditionally as I tell her that I love her.  Once she can understand and see my love, I can begin to tell her about a Savior who loves her even more.  That is the truth for these children--that they are loved, that they are valuable, that they will not be left as orphans, but that they have a life and a hope for the future.  What a beautiful truth. 

I have a yound friend named Maria.  The truth is that Maria had never had a bath before I took her home and gave her one.  The truth is that Maria has no one who cares for her.  No one who tells her she is loved.  The truth is that Maria is sent from her home in the slum outside of Jinja to beg on the streets for food, and no one in Uganda wants to touch her or help her or cares that she is sick.  The truth is that Maria is just like you or me.  A person.  Real.  A child of the King.

Meet Rose and Brenda.  The truth is that they are ophans. Abandoned and living in an orphanage.  Now two of 143 million.  The truth is that when they go to bed at night no one tucks their blankets in around them and kisses their foreheads.  The truth is that when they wake up, frieghtened, in the dark, no one runs to comfort them.  The truth is that due to someone else's carelessness, Brenda will die of AIDS.

Meet David and Bashir.  The truth is that these precious little boys were child soldiers, abducted, sold as property, and forced to kill.  Now that the war is winding down, they are not permitted back in their villages because they are seen as traitors, so they beg on the streets.

And the truth is that these are only the children I know, in a very small fraction of a very small country.  The truth is that there are children all over the world, sick, starving, dying, unloved, and uncared for.  The truth is that the 143 million orphaned children and the 11 million who starve to death or die from preventable diseases and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitutes, or under other horrific conditions and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164. 8 million needy children.  And though at first glance that looks like a big number, 2.1 billion people on this earth proclaim to be Christians.

The truth is that if only 8% of the Christians on this earth would care for ONE more child, there would not be any statistics left. 

This is the TRUTH.  I have the freedom to believe it.  The freedom, the opportunity to do something about it.  The truth is that He loves these children just as much as He loves me and now that I know, I am responsible."

And now that you know. . . .so are you.

To read more about Katie's adventures in Uganda, you can visit her blog at www.kissesforkatie.blogspot.com