Here in Uganda when you happen to have skin the color that we do they call you Muzungu. I have heard different definitions of what the word means but the one that makes the most sense is “One who has.”
A lady rang our doorbell today and told Randy and Gabe she wanted to talk to “Mama.” As it turns out, Randy had given her a ride up the street one day (without me), but as she was praying about her situation, God told her to go talk to me.
With tears in her eyes she told me about her two children who were born out of a situation where she was a “housemaid.” She left the situation only to find out she is now HIV positive (fortunately her children are fine). She just found out that her numbers are worse and she is fearful she doesn’t have much time left. She cried as she told me she just wants to know her children will be taken care of. She said she would sign any papers to have them adopted. She is desperate to have them cared for. She doesn’t have a job so the children are living with her grandmother who doesn’t have enough money to pay for them to be in school. One is 9 and the other is 7. One has had schooling up to second grade and the other up to first grade.
“So Muzungu”, I asked myself, “What do you have? How can you help this woman who was sent to you?” My heart cried out for God to give me an answer to help her in her pain, to give her hope and to change her situation. But just then I was reminded of some words I read in the Bible – “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.” I believe with my whole heart that the only thing I possess that is of any value is the Lord Jesus Christ who lives in me. So, I put my arm around her and prayed for her to the God I know, love and depend on. He is the only solution I can trust.
After I prayed, the Lord spoke two words for her to my heart. The first is that the Bible says to “Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present you requests to God and the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The other word was, “ I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.” I shared these words with her and told her I would continue to pray for her. She went on her way asking me please to keep in touch with her.
As I sit here now, thinking about her and praying for her, my heart stands in wonder at what we are doing out at the Field of Dreams. Our hope is to have homes for about 150 orphans there. I wish it was a reality today. But her story urges me to go on, to not give up, to be a voice for Fiona and other women like her who just want to know their children will be cared for when they are gone. There are so many needs and so many stories just like hers and I have a dream that some day my prayer to the Lord this very day would be answered by an ability to say yes to the cry of the desperate, yes to the need of a nation, yes to the cry of one mother’s heart to another.
