When I was approached about being a part of the Liberia Team, I had that wonderful euphoric feeling of being wanted and included. I was nervous to tell anyone for the first few days, just in case it would not happen. After my time in Uganda last year and the incredible heart given to me for my continent Africa and the healing of her soul, I was perched and ready to go again. It did not take too long for me to figure out I was really going and the task laid ahead of me was going to take special preparation. If I look back now and reflect on it a bit, it has been a bit like boot camp. If I had been told about the intensity of the preparation time alone, I may have... no, I still would go.
In the last few weeks our personal finances took a drastic knock because of some unforeseen circumstances. From a relatively stable place of much hope of increase, all of a sudden I had Holger telling me we have to make drastic shifts. Over the years as the price of food, petrol, and general living expenses have become quite a weight to bear, I felt we already had made a number of shifts. The part that caught my attention was when he said, we may have to homeschool all our children again... we may have to cut right back... all of a sudden I was overwhelmed with sadness. It seemed like we were finally getting this thing we were called to as a family with our special needs being met uniquely and now we had to cut back... we had trusted God to help us sort out the education and He had for each of our children and their special needs and all of sudden this was under threat.
I spent days praying, thinking, and awake in the middle of the night wondering what would come of us. While this was going on, I was writing lessons for the trip and asking God to show me his heart for Liberia and Uganda. I never thought that my current experiences may be a part of the preparation...
As I was putting the thought together about this blog and looking for pictures... I remembered that George who we will work with in Liberia had sent the pdf of photos attached to show us where we are going and what people in Liberia who are rebuilding after the war live like. In this presentation I saw the photo of the mom and the child breaking stone together... stone to sell to make money to eat... many mother's in Liberia cannot send their children to school because there is no money for it. I could not help having my heart broken over the reality of the poverty I would face again in Africa... a poverty that did not leave people with the option to homeschool or send children to school? In my need, I again realised how rich I am. Many people in Africa know poverty that keeps them stuck in a cycle with no hope of a shift anytime soon. I felt that pain of my need for a short while... then I was filled with such gratitude…
God showed me His heart over a period of a few days for this nation of Liberia in particular. His heart to heal her and restore her... His heart to give her a hope and future. He showed me His heart for me... to give me a hope and a future too!
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