As we pulled into Dwaleni, the children came rushing toward
the cars. There were more kids than usual and they pushed and shoved each other
out of the way so they could be the first to greet us as we stepped out.
I was of course
greeted first by Jabulile, a bright and beautiful 10 year old girl. This little
girl carries more influence than she even realizes. The other girls follow suit
to whatever she decides to!
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So much attitude!
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Jabulile and her friends, along with this crazy group of boys, have become the highlight of my week!
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| Meet Tumelo, Lungelo, Hope, and Tsako (sounds just like taco)! |
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| I asked them to give me a thumbs up...translation fail lol |
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| Tumelo teaching me how to spell his name! |
The Dwaleni kids are known to be more aggressive, clingy,
and will push other kids out of the way, as they desperately seek your
affection. This past Wednesday rang true of these realities. Several fights
broke out, including one that I had to step in and pull a child away from an older
teenager who was defending his little brother.
Fighting isn’t something new, it happens all over the world
between siblings, friends, and rivals. But, it wasn’t the fighting that really
bothered me; it was the sneaky negative thoughts that started to steal away my
focus. I felt myself starting to disengage, only noticing the negatives
surrounding me. God had recently been speaking to me on a personal level about
keeping my focus on Him and to “not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not
ignorant of his designs.” (2 Corinthians 2:11) It is hard to not become
distracted by our circumstances and the people that rub against us. In every situation, God has called me to be
obedient in laying down my rights of being right and being heard, in order for
me to see the bigger picture of what God is really doing in and through, those involved.
When you regain your focus, the negative isn’t so overwhelming.
I think that is
what God was showing me in Dwaleni. So, I immediately spoke with Angel who
is in charge of the feeding program. We discussed how she felt about what she
saw and what she wants for the kids, and what she wants her center to represent.
It was beautiful watching her share with the kids her dreams, vision, and expectations for them. She was laying the foundation to her ministry and it rests on God's principles of caring for one another. It is just the beginning of what
will be taught in her community but it is safe to say that the kids know that
someone cares, that there is a safe place to go, and there are people who will
listen and expect more from them because they are loved.
When we face things that don’t make sense or are
overwhelmingly unfair, we have one of two choices. We can become just as angry, bitter, complacent,
and ineffective in our broken communities. Or we can be compelled to choose JOY and
stand firm trusting that God is at work and continue being a constant light in the
darkest of places. What will you choose?
God is doing something in every circumstance, negative situation, and struggle. We may not see it at first, but we are called to stand firm on his truth, fight for those in the margins, to
show his unfailing love, and to bring hope to those who are seeking in the hardest of times. This is
what will change lives. This is what will change communities.
