God's Heart

This picture is one of the many reason's I will be going back to Ethiopia. I didn't think anyone had gotten a picture of this moment... of this time that had me moved for the rest of the trip.

This woman has leprosy. That's her baby...she was one month old. Her name is Helen.

After loading up all of our supplies into the van to deliver to families, this is the first home we stopped to visit. We walked around a corner... where the views were spectacular... to see this tiny little hut. Her husband was sitting outside missing parts of both legs and badly in need of a prostheses. Everyone was standing outside listening to his story when one of the translators stood at the door to their home and asked if anyone would like to meet his wife. I was the first to walk into their home.

It was smaller than my bedroom, maybe 9 x 9, dark, and hotter than hades inside.

These eyes are the first thing I saw. Can you see the despair there? I immediately walked over to her, sat down to put my arms around her. I will admit to a fleeting second of being aware that she had leprosy...but that was only a second compared to the pain I felt in sitting next to her feeling so so helpless.

She understood no English, but I asked if I could pray for her. At this point others had crowded in and we all held hands and prayed over this sister. She has no idea what we said...but I know God heard us. I know He hears her pain....

I asked her how she was feeling. At first she said she was ok... then I said "But you look sad, how can I help you?" To which she simply said "I am sick". Crack...break...splinter...there goes a piece of my heart.

She is but 1.... just 1...of the millions... of reasons I have to go back... I have to... God has opened my eyes and broken my heart and I can do nothing else but go back and do what He asks....