God's Heart isn't the Only Joyful Heart in Africa
Peter Meshreky, October 2010
From Los Angeles, CA (USA)
The last time I visited Africa was in June of 1998. I had a lot of anxiety because my trip then was a very memorable experience and I feared this trip would leave me disappointed in a God that was so BIG in 1998. When arriving at the airport, I realized I didn’t have the address to the Coptic Centre and I needed to take a taxi there. I was amazed when I just asked the taxi driver to take me to the Coptic Church and he automatically knew where to go. I figured this wouldn’t be the case if I had arrived at LAX. The anxiety increased after arriving at the Coptic Centre and realizing that that was a very different centre I left 12 years ago. What was once a Church and small clinic had grown into a very large compound which now consisted of the same Church, a large hospital, and the largest HIV/AIDS treatment facility in all of Kenya. It currently treats over 15,000 patients free of charge. With all of that going on, I wondered what was in store for me in the weeks to come. I feared that maybe the mission shifted its focus and the pastoral care aspect may have decreased.
It wasn’t long before I realized that wasn’t the case. I arrived at 2:30 pm and settled in and didn’t have much time before we got started. I went on my first home visitation at 5:00pm. Although the mission seemed to grow exponentially while I was gone, I realized that the vision was still the same. I was able to meet some of the servants of the Church during the car ride over and quickly realized that they were very deep and committed servants. They are well read and serve the Church seven days a week. It was ironic that all I wanted to do was sit at the feet of them. I came to serve but instantly realized that I was the one being served by these great people.
After being dropped off in a slum where the homes consisted of very humble huts which were all closely packed together with living conditions which shamed anything I would find in Los Angeles. While walking through the village, I made eye contact with many who seemed broke, hurt, hungry, and in need. In reality, I was making eye contact with my Creator. Quickly, Mathew 25 became very real to me, “for I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.” I instantly had to come to a realization which would change the rest of my trip, if not the rest of my life: Would I LOVE the way Christ commands us to love? Even if it seemed outside of my own ability? I prayed for that love.
When we arrived to the home we were visiting I found myself in a structure that was smaller than a bathroom in my own home. We were greeted by roughly 10 Kenyans (we were 5 so there was a total of 15 of us in this small space) who were joyful and singing songs of praise. Their voices were angelic and the words of the songs very full of love and joy. I was emotionally moved by this great sight. After songs and prayer, they asked me to share something from the Bible. This seemed strange for me. How am I supposed to speak to them about the Living God when He is so much more present in their lives? They joy and peace I saw in the life of these people, who have relatively little far, exceeded my own joy from my lifestyle which I quickly realized was gluttonous.
We shared the Gospel from that Sunday which was the anointing at Bethany in Mathew 26. I shared a quick message and then we all went and shared our thoughts on this passage. While sharing I realized, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 5:2) Although they were living in poverty, in situations that the western world would feel are “unlivable”. After sitting in that “unlivable” situation, I realized I was sitting in heaven. The joy that filled that home made the presence of God so strong, made me realize it was something I only read about in the US. The joy they speak and sing with is only I concept I read about in great spiritual books but have never actually come into contact with. Complete dependency created an intimacy between God and His people which I lack. How great is the joy that confesses that all of our needs are met by Him, that we have nothing without Him.
Once we realize that we have much in Him, that He has met all of our needs, that He cares for us more than the lilies and ravens, how can we not have joy? Examine yourself, have you been given much? Aren’t all of your NEEDS met? How faithful has your God been in providing? If the hearts in Africa are full of joy because their God has dealt bountifully with them, hasn’t He dealt more bountifully with you? Shouldn’t you have more joy? If you don’t, who has fallen short?
