Mozambique: “All Who Are Thirsty”
Mozambique 2006 - Ashley & Brooke August 24th, 2006 by BrookeThere 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!
August 24th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
“Where am I? Who am I? How did I come to be here? What is this thing called ‘the world’? How did I come into the world? Why was I not consulted? And if I am compelled to take part, where is the Director? I want to see him.” Soren Kierkegaard.
Once in a painful while, we are mad at the world. You aren’t weak. Brooke, just powerless.
Hang in there and remember you and Ashley have delivered the message of love to so many children and adults that clearly so desperately need to receive it. Your presence is “love made visible”.
Be good to each other and lift up through prayer.
Love, Cathy
August 26th, 2006 at 3:15 am
I have been encouraged these last days by my powerlessness and God’s great power. He has lifted my up and shown me that in my weakness He can shine through with His strength! What a great encouragement despite hard hard circumstances.
Sorry the last post was such a downer, but just wanted you to all know that God is good all the time, despite the sin in the world. I have been touched by the fact that good is a synonym for God and God is a synonym for good. Good is not just an adjective to describe the Lord, but He, in His very essence, is good! I find great peace in that.
August 27th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
Brooke, my last blog was erased, I forgot to add my e-mail so will try again. My heart aches as I feel the pain in your soul as you all deal with losing these wee little babes. But they really are not lost, but found, with new bodies to live with Christ, with no pain, just joy, pure joy! We may never understand everything but some day it will be so clear to all of us. I will continue to pray for you and the others as you face challenges each day. As you loved Pedro and held him and rocked him, know that he felt love, a special love that God has given you to share with all the children. God is GOOD and I too find a peace in knowing that too, thanks for sharing your heart! Love, kristi
September 9th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
Dear Brooke, I too have been greatly saddened by the loss of little Pedro. I still remember your red and wet eyes the day you told me about him. It is so sad, such a precious little life so briefly lived and for what purpose…we could speculate for hours. I don’t remember if I had shared this with you the first day I was at that orphanage. One of the sisters (actually, I believe it was Mother Superior) was holding the twin babes~ I was looking down at Pedro and whispered, “do you know my Jesus?” A teeny whispy smile parted his lips and I took that as an affirmation. I have to believe that these sickly, failure to thrive children must feel the presence and comfort of the Lord-just as I have physically felt the presence of his arms around me on the occasion of severe grief through pain and loss in my life. We serve a great and mighty God and we know for what purpose…His Glory! Stephanie