I have been home from Uganda for almost 11 months now. It is so hard to believe it has almost been a year since the Lord shook my world and turned my world right side up. This time last year I was packing and organizing for a trip that little did i know would completely change the course of the rest of my life. This weekend we celebrate Mothers Day. I have been thinking a lot about woman and especially mothers all over the world. Mothers definitely have one of the hardest jobs in the entire world. Particularly in third world countries, mothers are the end all be all. They have such hard lives , filled with so much responsibility upon their shoulders. Mothers do the cooking , cleaning , child raising , and much of the providing for the family. All in all they rarely complain or show signs of weakness, giving up is not an option for them. All they have and all they are is poured into their family.
During my time teaching preschool and loving on the babies at Amani Baby Cottage I was forced to ask the hard questions. The Lord really began to work in my heart and place a specific burden on me. With 147 Million orphans in Uganda alone I began asking questions and seeking answers. In Uganda there is not a shortage of orphanages and homes that house children in need. Where are these children's mothers? Why so many deaths during childbirth for both the mothers and babies? Why do the mothers feel their only option is to leave their 2 day old baby at orphanage gates or in the bush? What can I do to help ? What are the dire needs of these moms? All these questions and more burned in my heart , causing me to lose countless nights of sleep. Loving on needy babies is the "easy" part, but I knew the Lord was calling me to go to the root of this problem. My heart breaks thinking of these mothers who are so hopeless , enduring hardships we cannot even imagine , and having no option but giving up their own children. It isn't like this is what they want their life to look like they are just that desperate. This is a picture of ultimate humility and sacrifice as they place their children's needs above their own desires.
Every year 5,840 woman die in childbirth. Every year 76 babies out of 1,000 will die before their first birthday. Uganda alone ( one country in Africa) contains 147 Million orphans. If a mother shows up to a clinic or hospital to give birth and do not bring a Birthing Kit, they are turned away and rejected service. A Birthing Kit cost a little under 7 dollars which contains soap , gloves, razor blades, umbilical chord ties, etc. Just knowing these few facts, it is plain to see that the need is overwhelmingly large. There are small things that we can do to help reduce these numbers and provide hope to these families. It is my joy and honor to be able to come alongside others with the same God given passion and serve. When you recognize that a birth kit as cheap as a fast food meal in America can save a life, you realize there is so much you can do to make an impact. As we serve these woman physically we have the joy of seeing these womans lives changed for eternity. As they experience love and hope in a tangible way here on earth , we get the opportunity to share the Gospel with them and their babies.
This is the beat behind my heart . I sit back and I think how blessed am I that the Lord would give me His passions , and allow me the opportunity to serve Him as His hands and feet to this world. In James Christ tells us exactly what pure religion looks like in His eyes. Of all the things Christ teaches us through His Word , He could have easily picked anything as the most important . LOVE!!!! He says LOVE Me and LOVE others. Super simple and straight forward right. Pure Religion?? He gives that command to us in black and white. Care for the Orphans and Widows in the word!! This isn't something to do if your bored or have nothing better to do. Noo out of our love and obedience for Christ this is our calling, and purpose in life. May we not just have the head knowledge and talk the talk but may we love the Lord well through out actions. Stepping out in faith, being His hands and feet and obeying the commands He has given us. What you find out is that you will be more blessed in serving then those to whom you are pouring ourself out to. May we be quick to loose our lives for the sake of His glory and fame.
