Monday, May 31, 2010

How Big is My God?

How Big is Your God?


I have been wondering lately, just how big is my God? As I walked from club to club on Saturday, walking through the compound, that thought came into my mind. The people I saw walking around in the compound have such difficult lives.

The mother’s carrying their babies on their backs, with large baskets on their heads, filled with bananas or avocados while they dodge children running and screaming. Young children watching other young children, some who can’t be more than eight years old carrying babies around, bouncing and keeping them from crying. As I walked, I passed one of the GEMS counselors, and her husband who were walking to the health clinic, because she is not feeling well. They think she has malaria. I meet another GEMS counselor, who is late for her club meeting, because she was doing her wash, and then the water was off. So they had to carry the water from across the compound, to finish her wash.

These people struggle with just the simple things, which I so take for granted. The things that were bothering me don’t even faze them. They don’t seem to even notice that the dust and dirt are blowing in their faces, and all around. Their nostrils aren’t assaulted by the smells of burning rubbish, or the smell of urine floating from under the doors of the outhouses we pass. They don’t seem to notice the garbage, everywhere on the streets and in the ditches. They don’t notice a man yelling at a woman, or a woman pulling along a small child by the arm, who is screaming. Is this child being hurt or is he just mad? They don’t even look up as the cars pass by and honk, hoping that the mazoongo (white women) will need a cab?

Then I begin to wonder, how big is there God? Do they complain as much as I do, about the little things that bother me? I can complain so quickly about the dust, the smells, the things I miss from home, from chocolate chips to being able to brush my teeth without bottled water, and having a great shower with real water pressure. How big is my God? And how disappointed he must be with me, when He has given me more than most Zambians can even imagine and still I complain.

My God is so BIG! He has called me to Zambia, to train and teach the women to lead GEMS clubs. He has opened my eyes to so many things that I so took for granted before coming here. I know there are more than I could possibly list, but here are two that are on my heart today. He has opened my eyes to see that my grandchildren who are born in clean sterile hospitals with all the best medical care and doctors with equipment to monitor heartbeats and deliver the best possible care, are so blessed! I had never thought about mothers being scared to death to have their babies, because if something goes wrong, they die or the baby dies. Or they are taken to the hospital and die there. 70% of people who go into a Zambian hospital do not come out alive. He has allowed me to see, babies who are starving that are brought to the House of Moses, will now have a chance to grow and thrive. Have I ever seen a child in the US with legs about the size of my thumbs? No never!

How big is your God?

No comments: