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Sunday, October 25, 2009

Famine

What words come to mind when you hear the word...

famine ?



Perhaps, hunger, lacking, starving, poor, sad....? Does the word make you feel uncomfortable? Does it make your heart break or make you want to block it out of your mind and forget about it?


The dictionary defines it as "extreme and general scarcity of food, as in a country or a large geographical area." Well, that large geographical area happens to be Kenya right now. Due to the drought, lack of rains, and extreme dryness here, there is a famine. For a while, here in Nairobi we were on a water ration as well as electricity ration because... there were no rains. I thought we had it bad. Then, I went "upcountry" where they truly, truly know what the word famine means.




The Church that I attend here in Nairobi is led by a pastor who grew up in Kenya and has a huge heart for those suffering in this country. In church we have two offerings. One for our regular tithes, and one for those suffering from the Famine and lack of water.



Once a month my pastor leads a "Famine Relief Trip" upcountry to these places of suffering to allow our church family to see what it is like in other parts of the country and to be able to play a roll in helping those suffering by purchasing food (maize, rice, beans, flour...) and delivering it to churches in the areas hit hard by the drought and famine.



The drive was looooooooooooooong to get to these places. I think after 3 hours I had put my head down on the window and let my eyes wander outside at the passing people, cattle, acacia trees and such. And then, in the distance I spotted Kilimanjaro. That was about the point of the trip that I knew we were FAR from home. The landscape became very dry as we approached the town we would be visiting. Everything was covered in dust and dirt and you could tell by the lack of vegitation that rain has not been spotted in a very long time.



Things like this break my heart. Its so hard for me to understand God's will sometimes. How something that most take for grandted, rain, can just not come to a place that so deserperately needs. it. I do know, however, that God is God.... He has a plan and He loves these people.



And you know what the best thing about these people are? They KNOW that God loves them. WOW. They are in so much need and yet, on a Saturday, over a hundred showed up at the church to give thanks to us for bringing food and for praying for them. The joy on their faces can only come from God alone.


It's challeneged me to try that sometime. When I feel like I am in need or that God is not providing the way I think he should, to smile anyways. To be so in love with my Savior that I can't do anything but trust in Him for his provisions and to be joyful in all circumstances.


The trip was hard but necessary to visit these places so that I now have mental (and actual) pictures of what it is like to be in a place of real need, real famine, and real drought. Please continue to pray with me for those suffering from the drought and the famine.


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