One of the most inhumane things I have ever seen was all these divine children, and Mums and babies, who live on a literal dumpsite just outside the city. I actually found out later it is home to around 3000 families... literally on or in the immediate surrounds of the garbage dump. It is dangerous, it is filthy, it is disease ridden... and it is filled with people who will do anything to find recyclables, to meet the expected earnings of 75cents a day. AT night-time when trucks come and dump rubbish, children are often run over and killed as with no electricity, no access to running water etc, but through intense desperation, they try to be the first to the newly discarded rubbish...This is also the place where children are most vulnerable to the ringleaders of child prostitution...they will kidnap even the two year olds to service the most depraved. It was very difficult to leave....
Indonesia was interesting...a muslim country, and we arrived just as the terror threat went up to the highest, and all Australians were advised to leave.. (I've never been great with timing!!) But I believe if you are in the will of God, you're in the safest place to be... and in the end, if you trust God with your life, you've also got to trust Him with your death!! (mmmm, meant to be encouraging you!!) Anyway, again, hunger for God, hunger for righteousness, hunger for freedom... aahhh, it was glorious and yet there was a very tense energy in the air. But once you start to sing, once you start to lift up the praises of God... well, His presence again, so transforming, that it is like watching weights lifted from people.... And the young people kept saying thank you for being BRAVE.
One young man was sharing with us that as Christians just go and serve them, it reminds them that they are not alone, and that God Himself hears every prayer. Again, we were extremely humbled by the generosity and love that came from our hosts, and the thousands of people who turned out to worship with us... Mark (my lovely man) and David Meyer went to visit some of the refugee camps that have been set up to house the hundreds of families displaced through the despair of the continuing mud eruptions that have wreaked havoc for so many. Sometimes when being confronted with overwhelming heartache, the only answer that brings dignity is.. 'this is not your final home....'. There is so much I could tell you, so much about those who live in these such situations, and those who can articulate their feelings, continually talk about God being very close...
And Sth Africa... well, I've been quite a few times over the years, and those of you who know me at all, know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE AFRICA... the whole of it. For three reasons... the people, the people... and the people!!.... And the continent is slowly changing, but HIV is at 25%, and even with ARV's being available to more people, the Aids virus is taking its evil toll on the oh so innocent, and again, swallowing up those who have no access to life saving drugs. Shanty towns, no amenities, prostitution at an all time high.... BUT GOD!! There are SO many great churches and great humanitarian projects simply there, serving and loving people, that it is hard not to see the nature of God at work, even in the midst of what could feel like hell on earth if you are very hungry, very lonely and very ill.
