Imagine standing around the campfire with 23 African children, orphaned or rescued from unsafe homes within the last three years -- at least 25% of whom would not be living today if they had not come.
Imagine, sixteen hours later, standing in Phumlani Children's Cemetery. Seventy bodies have been interred since the beginning t of June. Hundreds of cars and busloads of people pass down the driveway to the adult cemetery for the weekly ritual of multiple burials...
Imagine standing in that cemetery, joining together in prayer that the Lord will rescue children from the ravishes of sinful lifestyles and gather them into the family of God...
Imagine if no one was here and no one cared...But God does...
Our time with the Carmichaels at The Pines colors our vision with joy washed in tears. Mama Aggie went home today for her nephew's funeral. Aunt Sally, widowed a year ago, works out her sorrow by lavishing love on attention-starved boys and girls. Uncle Louie strives daily to show children Jesus Christ, dissolving in tears to think of the 70 he didn't reach in time. Aunt Alana turns from decisions about milk to correcting a child for swearing, and another for spraying body mist all over the apartment, and reminding another to keep his shirt on, and wondering how to get enough groceries in the pantry for all the mamas and children living here.
Yes, the imprint of our time here will last longer than the photos.
Thank you for sharing these updates, Judy. Our hearts grieve with you. When our eyes are open to the harsh reality others face every day, what hope can we have of ever not despairing of life except that The Living Water is still satisfying heart-thirsts today and The Doer of the Least Likely is still doing today and The Lifter of Heads is still lifting today... GBC is missing you two! -Beth
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