Perspective part II

Because most are unable to support themselves, the residents of the village rely on outside sources for food and necessities. There is a man who brings them each 18 kg bags of maize once every two months, and David brings them luxuries like shoes, socks, sugar, cooking oil, etc. Other than the outside support, those who are physically capable, and those who have relatives to care for them, live off whatever they can get from the bush or from their few small gardens.

Walking through the village and meeting all of the people there brought on a healthy dose of reality for me. Witnessing first hand their meager living and joyful spirits made an incredible impact on me. The people here are suffering in ways that we in America can't even comprehend. We can try and wrap our heads around it but we don't know what it's like to pray that our next portion of cornmeal comes on time. We can't understand what it means to rely totally on one man to bring us the only substance standing between us and starvation. Hunger is a foreign concept to us.

Right now David is working on getting shoes out to them, because the ones they have are beginning to fall apart. They need to have shoes to wear because many of them have lost feeling in their feet and will tear up their feet by walking on thorns or sharp stones. Their feet then end up getting infected and they usually end up needing to be amputated. One man in the village kept burning his fingers on cooking pots without even realizing it, and now all of his fingers have been reduced to stubs. Their reality is a painful one, and yet at nearly every little house we were greeted with grateful hearts and joyful spirits. What an impact they make by choosing joy!

-Jamie




You will show me the path of life;
In your presence is fullness of joy;
At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11