Day 4: On the Road to a Healed Heart

I'm sitting at the Guest House dinner table trying to put into words what I saw today. The first word that comes to mind is heartbroken. I am completely heartbroken for the elders that we had the privilege of visiting today. I have never in my life seen a man in so much need for human touch and love. While we sat in Edmond's hut he didn't ask for money, food, or any materialistic good. He wanted to be loved. It felt unreal to be given the opportunity to sit next to him on his small bed to massage his arms and back with lotion. While we all huddled into his hut we sang songs and asked some questions. When asked how many children he had, he said one son. I thought to myself "Well hey at least he isn't alone." I couldn't have been more wrong. He said he didn't know where his son was and that he never came to visit him. At that exact moment I felt my heart break into a million pieces. I could not wrap my mind around the fact that this man would be receiving loving touch only a couple times a week. What an awful way to live the last years of your life. I found myself not wanting to leave him, all alone in his extremely small hut without a single soul to accompany him. As we drove in the tap tap to the next elder's hut all I could think about was how unfair it all was. Why is it that during this trip I get to be surrounded by a team of 16 amazing human beings for 24 hours a day and this man only receives about 30 minutes of attention every couple of days. I sat there and cried begging God to show me what the purpose of it all was; why me and not this man. In the stillness of my broken heart God made it clear to me that the purpose was for me to be changed. At home I am a part of the care ministry at church and have the privilege of visiting the elderly as often as I want. God used Edmond to validate that He is calling me to continue my work with the care ministry. I know I shouldn't gripe about it or take it lightly because it's about doing His work and not my own. That's what all of this is about, Jesus, not me. What is Jesus doing in and through me to show the world that His love is so great and for everyone to experience. He breaks us to show us the work that He wants done, but does not leave us broken. He heals every single wound and hears every cry. It is through the power of Christ alone that tonight when I lay my head down I can have peace knowing that one day soon things will change. 

Mady