Reposted:Today we faced more experiences of life’s realities outside of the United States as our team ministered to children playing in a slum neighborhood just outside the city.
As the van slowly made its way through the narrow bumpy dirt roads, one of our American students mumbled aloud, “our dogs live better than these people”. Likewise in appalling poverty, most of the homes had nothing more than dirt floors, windows without glass and maybe, just maybe, running water. The wires dangling from house to house provided “borrowed” electricity from the city.
For the residents of this slum neighborhood it’s a very rare occasion to have visitors from the USA, so obviously our team was an interesting sight for them, especially when we shared dramas and music in their native language, Portuguese. And in spite of our inability to speak fluent Portuguese, our team confidently reached out with the love and encouragement of Jesus, a universal language of love that is not bound by borders or language barriers.
As I thought about this experience, I began to realize that for anyone who has never experienced this level of poverty, their first reaction would probably be a sense of hopelessness and despair. However, our experience brought us to a place of hope after meeting some of the most wonderful and warm people we’ve ever me before. It was simply amazing.
From our perspective, these people were hopelessly poor beyond imagination. But the truth is, we were amazed to learn that because of God’s love and acceptance, they were satisfied, content and filled with a level of joy that is strengthened in the face of wicked poverty.
As I looked out into a slum of more than 100,000 people, I tried to make sense of it all. “How in the world can these people live like this,” my heart asked. And just like God, He spoke very quietly to my heart, “Richard, these people need nothing you have to have all of me.” Wow! What an incredible revelation. For those residents that know and love God, their reality is simply - God is sufficient.
As we left the slums, I understood very clearly that I couldn't change their living, social or economic situation. All I could give them was the dignity and respect they deserve as God’s creation.
As the van slowly made its way through the narrow bumpy dirt roads, one of our American students mumbled aloud, “our dogs live better than these people”. Likewise in appalling poverty, most of the homes had nothing more than dirt floors, windows without glass and maybe, just maybe, running water. The wires dangling from house to house provided “borrowed” electricity from the city.
For the residents of this slum neighborhood it’s a very rare occasion to have visitors from the USA, so obviously our team was an interesting sight for them, especially when we shared dramas and music in their native language, Portuguese. And in spite of our inability to speak fluent Portuguese, our team confidently reached out with the love and encouragement of Jesus, a universal language of love that is not bound by borders or language barriers.
As I thought about this experience, I began to realize that for anyone who has never experienced this level of poverty, their first reaction would probably be a sense of hopelessness and despair. However, our experience brought us to a place of hope after meeting some of the most wonderful and warm people we’ve ever me before. It was simply amazing.
From our perspective, these people were hopelessly poor beyond imagination. But the truth is, we were amazed to learn that because of God’s love and acceptance, they were satisfied, content and filled with a level of joy that is strengthened in the face of wicked poverty.
As I looked out into a slum of more than 100,000 people, I tried to make sense of it all. “How in the world can these people live like this,” my heart asked. And just like God, He spoke very quietly to my heart, “Richard, these people need nothing you have to have all of me.” Wow! What an incredible revelation. For those residents that know and love God, their reality is simply - God is sufficient.
As we left the slums, I understood very clearly that I couldn't change their living, social or economic situation. All I could give them was the dignity and respect they deserve as God’s creation.
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