When I went to Zambia for the first time in 2011, I knew at
that moment that I would be back in the years to come. This June (2014) I had
the opportunity to return to Gripps Farm in Zambia. I have felt a calling for
the village since I first laid eyes on it through pictures before my first trip
and then again this summer when I stepped foot in the village. It is hard for
me to put into words the feelings that I get when I am there and it is even
harder to explain the reason behind those feelings, but I have realized that
God has put this desire and this love in my heart and it will be my duty from
now on to help in whatever way God leads me.
My friend Ellie from graduate school met me in Johannesburg
so that our last flight to Zambia was together (she was coming from South
Korea). This would be her first time to Africa and to Gripps, and I was so
excited to be able to share this experience with such a close friend. I tried
really hard to have no expectations for this trip but that was a struggle since
I had experienced this place before. It was such a different experience from my
first trip, but I fell in love with Gripps all over again.
Our first day there, Cosmas gave us a tour of the village.
It was amazing to see the changes! There were so many more houses, and that
made it much easier to get lost! I was very impressed with Cosmas and his
obvious love for the people of Gripps. He talked to each person we passed and
he encouraged the children to go to school if they were at their homes for
whatever reason. We were able to see the old school building which is literally
falling apart. We also saw the new school building which is much more suitable
for the students. There is a second school building that needs to be finished
and throughout our time there Cosmas continued to get estimates on the cost to
finish the building. We were followed around by some little ones in the village
and I loved seeing their faces.
We spent the next few days taking pictures of all the school
children. My dad and I took their pictures for sponsors when we went three
years ago. It was amazing to see how much the children have grown. The children
came by class, and Cosmas and the teachers helped by writing down their
information (age, family dynamics, aspirations). We had supplies to hand out to
every child thanks to an amazingly generous woman that I have been blessed to
meet. She donated ten boxes and a few bags of clothing, school supplies, toys,
art activities, and hygiene packs. After the children had their pictures taken,
they picked a few items. It was fun to see their excitement. Some of them put
their clothing on immediately and were happy to pose for another picture.
We also spent time in the classrooms painting with the
students. The generous woman had donated over 300 plaster figurines of safari
animals along with paints and paint brushes. We were able to see pure joy on
some of the kids’ faces as they painted their animals that they proudly named
to their teachers. I loved their accents and it was so much fun to hear them
shout, “Lion” or “Giraffe” out loud.
On Sunday, we went to youth group with Cosmas. The youth put
on many plays and songs for us while we were there. It was encouraging to see
their excitement about their futures. The youth know all of the things they
need to make a better life for themselves. They know about the importance of
education and about the real struggles they face with HIV, alcoholism, and
abusive relationships. It is my prayer that they will put their words, songs, and
plays into practice and will continue to see God’s will for their lives.
One of the biggest blessings of the whole trip was spending
time with Cosmas, Marijke, Liza, and Sophie. I cannot describe the love I have
for their family or the impression they left on me. They are such great parents
and they are teaching their girls to love God above all else. They love the
people of Gripps and have their best interests at heart at all times.
As I was trying to process everything that happened during the
trip, I came across this passage from the book Dirty God by Johnnie
Moore. The passage was in response to the questions we ask God about why things
are the way they are. Why are the people in Gripps so poverty stricken and what
is ever going to happen to change that for them? Why did God pick me to have
such a burden for this place and why is Gripps Farm one of the places that
makes me feel like I’m at home?
But what of the second typical
response to these issues of human suffering? How do we deal with our tendency
to accuse God of negligence when the world is in such dire shape?
Actually, I think when we look at
the sky and ask God to do something, he says back to us, ‘I am doing something. I’m burdening your heart with this need. I’m allowing
your life to collide with this crisis, and I’m giving you this burden for one
reason—so that you can be my hands and feet to do something about it.’
I believe with all of my heart that
we are often the answer to our own burdens. The causes that make us cry and
work and complain and plead and raise money and raise awareness and take
red-eyes to other countries and sleep in huts and risk disease and danger are
the same causes that God has assigned to us. They have become our
responsibility--and it’s our call, our turn, to make the difference that we’re
expecting and hoping others will make.
Compassion means action. It’s not
enough to just be moved by the fact that people are dying for the absolutely
unnecessary reason of lack of food. It’s not enough to cry over the terrifying
plight of child prostitution or forced labor. It’s not enough to look at the
guy beaten on the side of the road and feel sorry for him.
We have to do something about it.
True compassion means that we care enough to effect change. When the Bible says
Jesus was ‘moved with compassion,’ the word compassion
in biblical Greek implies a movement from the inside out. You are physically
pained by that you see, and you almost have
to do something to change it.
We are the answers to the problems
we’re most concerned about.
I don’t know what my future looks like with Gripps Farm, but
I know that God has placed this love on my heart for a reason and I am excited
to see what the future holds for Gripps. God is there with them and that is the
most important thing. I am so thankful to everyone who supported this mission
through prayer and/or financial decisions. I will be forever grateful!
