The Problem -

by annieThese amazing images are taken by one of our team members. Check out their blog www.mamelodistories.org
A problem arises when you choose to take action about something you believe to be important. Oftentimes, if the issue at hand is truly worth your time and effort, it is simultaneously an issue quite beyond your solving capabilities. There are people who thrive on this. The leader/visionary-type, who seem motivated at being overwhelmed. They like to dive into murky waters and feel along the bottom of an issue for the solution they are so passionately certain awaits them...

I am not one of these divers. I stand out on the pier, analyzing the water--"It's no use today. Water's too rough. not enough people here to form a well-rounded team. The gear hasn't arrived. Too cold out, we wouldn't last long."
So my husband and I make a good team. Sometimes he listens to me, rightly. We wait on things, situations to change, people to show up. We wait on the Lord. Then sometimes, he shoves me into the water and pulls my hands to the bottom, and we go to work together.

Enough metaphor. We work with the local African church. We worship and pray with them, we visit the sick, the hungry, and the orphans in the community, strategically trying to improve their lives as we love them. So the problem arises; we can't fix these issues. They are systemic, political (don't get us started on African politics!), cultural, and they are without a doubt, beyond our fixing... But doesn't God call us to these things? (Is.58) Aren't these the things of God? (Mt.25:34) Doesn't it please him to accomplish them? (Jer.9:24)

We visited a gogo (Zulu for "granny") on Saturday, and brought her food. She is so tiny! and stooped over, i kid you not, she was dancing around and clapping her hands at the gift. We asked her if she had any requests before we prayed with her, and she said, "how can I grumble now? what more should i ask him for? I was in my room before you came, and told God 'I have all i need, except food for today' and now he has brought me this box of it! All the prayers are answered, lets just thank him!"
But although Allan & I both left that day knowing there's no other way we would rather have spent the day, we were also wondering, how many more are there that we didn't go to? Why is the problem so big? How can we stop it? And then reminding each other; God invites us, and in fact, requires us to join him in this work of his--but it's his work. To him there are no murky waters. He sees it all, and it does please him to accomplish it...through his church, when we are willing. Through revelations of dreams and miracles when necessary. Through his own Spirit of power.
In Matthew 25 Jesus doesn't say, "come inherit the kingdom prepared for you, for you ended hunger and poverty..." he says, "as you did it to ONE of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."
This is heavy stuff; we know we cannot earn, or even take part in our own salvation, yet Jesus made it clear in this passage how he will know his children. Somehow, if we want to be identified with Jesus, we must be about these things. Yet they will always be beyond us, the work will always be sized to his strength and not our own. And now the trick is to somehow find his rest in the middle of this flux...
although, lately I find myself wondering, if we end this life tired and worn out for his sake, would it be such a bad thing?