Mama Margaret

"Mzungu! Mzungu! Mzungu!"

I don't know how many times I heard this on Saturday. We got dropped off in a slum and as we walked through, there were so many kids that flocked to our group and to me and the other "mzungus" specifically. (Mzungu basically just means "white person") I had one little girl run right up to me and wrap her arms around my legs, and my heart melted. All I wanted to do was scoop her up and take her home with me! As we walked through, I felt almost numb. I had heard people try to explain what being in a slum makes you feel, and how it's so overwhelming emotionally, but I still wasn't prepared. We were there to visit our Living Hope client, Mama Margaret. 

Living Hope is a ministry of Watoto Church and its goal is "to restore dignity to vulnerable women in Africa". This is done in many ways, including: helping with basic necessities, providing medical care, education, and discipleship. If you want to take a minute to go to this web site, it will tell you all about it and there's a good video as well. 

Anyway, as a part of Watoto 360, we are split into groups of five and each group is assigned a Living Hope client, who we will visit 4-6 times during our time here. We will be getting to know her and also brainstorming some creative ways to help her. Saturday was our first day visiting Mama Margaret, and I was so unsure what to expect. She met us at our bus and walked with us back to her house and welcomed us in. We walked in and sat on her bed and around the room, very squished, with all of us touching knees to the person next to us. (there were actually eight of us there for this first time because a different group had to join us) It was tiny! The floor space was less than the bed. There was no light, and no windows. Just a door. It was simple and small. She has five kids, with two still living with her. I'm guessing they all sleep in the twin bed, unless someone sleeps on the floor. We went to encourage her, but after talking to her, she is the one who encouraged me! She is so happy and cheerful and full of life. She has nothing, and right now she doesn't have a way to support herself. She used to have a small business sewing things for people, but that died off, so she has nothing now. Despite all this, she left for a few minutes and came back with chips and juice for all of us. I felt so guilty for taking things from her when she has nothing, but she wanted to bless us and it would have been so rude to resist. We talked with her for about an hour and a half. She spoke quite a bit of English, which was really nice, and actually rare for people in the slums. She has a great sense of humor and is just such a sweet and genuine lady. We laughed, we talked, we sang, and then at the end we prayed. I had really pretty much felt nothing up until that point, but once we started praying, I don't even know how to describe how I felt. I had such a strong desire to help her, but I didn't know where to start, or even what to pray for. And then I began thinking about how many people around the world are living like her, or worse, and I felt so helpless.

 The whole experience made me realize how much our circumstances don't have to determine our attitudes or our level of contentment. Jesus is the answer to all of our problems, big or small, and if we keep our eyes fixed on Him, we can be full of joy no matter our circumstance. After we got back to the church, I had some time to myself and I read Psalm 30..."I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. O Lord, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit...You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever." (verses 1-3, 11-12) These verses can be true for each and every person! They do not vary depending on different situations. When Jesus is all we need to be content, nothing in this world can bring us down. Being immersed in how people live like that, and yet still have so much joy, really touched me and first of all made me feel guilty, but then thankful. Yes, thankful for my life and all the blessings I have, but mostly for JESUS, who is our everything! The best part of all this is that we don't have to do any of it in our own strength. Yes, we can choose joy and choose contentment, but God is the one who gives us what we need to have both of those things. As Paul says... "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." 

-Philippians 4:12-13 

I saw this verse being lived out on Saturday, and it inspired me! I don't have to rely on anything except Jesus to satisfy my heart. He is more than enough and if I let Him, He will provide me with all the joy and strength that I need.

"I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

-Psalm 16:8-11