There is a worship song called “All Who Are Thirsty” that really spoke to me today:
All who are thirsty, All who are weak
Come to the fountain, dip you heart in the stream of life.
Let the pain and the sorrow be washed away
In the waves of His mercy, as deep cries out to deep.
(We sing) Come Lord Jesus, Come. Come Lord Jesus, Come
I have had plenty of “I love Africa” days, but today I mourned and grieved for Africa. Never before have I been so deeply touched and hurt by what I’ve seen. Poverty stares us in the face each and every day. Morning after morning we get up to go to the orphanages to divide our attention 100 different ways. We pass dozens of beggars, some still small children, whenever we walk anywhere. Trash and rank smells are strewn across the city. So, why today? Why was I so touched today? Sometimes the Lord has to touch our hearts deeply for us to be moved…and He did that today. Pedro, one of the twins and the Mother Theresa orphanage, was not there today, yet he is one of the few infants who has not tested positive for HIV/AIDS. Still, he was taken Home on Sunday. From the time he arrived at the orphanage just five or six weeks ago, we had bonded. Just last week as I laid him down after a bottle, he just stared at me and started to cry. I found a mobile and began to play in for him and he was entranced by the little birds that turned and the music that softly played. My little Pedro now gets to sit entranced before the throne of God and worship Him with music. Yet, selfishly I wish he were still here, to bring a smile to my face.
Daneto, my other sick little friend, is not doing so well, either. The nurse believes he has less than one week to live. I spent some time with him today just praying and crying and releasing his spirit to the Lord. I have prayed for healing, but he is in so much pain…and I reluctantly asked God to take him Home quickly. Our Lord is a jealous God and I have been blessed to spend these last weeks with Daneto. I asked Daneto to say “Hi” to Jesus for me and to worship Him with all of his heart. Continue to pray for Daneto, please. Selfishly, I desire Daneto to live and for his life to be a testimony to the power of God. But, I know that God has a great plan in all of this, too, and I don’t know what it is. Maybe He wants Daneto to be here, but maybe He needs him in heaven. Regardless, please pray for Daneto’s pain to subside, however that may be.
My spirit is troubled and my emotions are shaken. Yet, our God is good. Even in my despair, in my mourning and in my confusion He brings peace and joy. Isaiah 35:10 says, “They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them and sorrow and singing will flee alway.” Pedro has entered Zion…perhaps Daneto will follow close behind. But, I can tell you one thing, they will be crowned with everlasting joy and know no more pain, suffering or sorrow.
As the song says “dip your heart in the stream of life” I am reminded that sometimes freedom is found in death to ourselves (spiritually), but for Pedro this was a physical death. His physical death has freed him and allowed him to swim full force in the stream of life where all of his pain and sorrow has been washed away.
My prayer for myself is that in my weakness and sadness the Lord can be more present…that He will take my weary soul and rekindle my joy, my passion and my love!
