Wednesday, March 5, 2008

“Who will sing my lullaby?
Who will hold me when I cry?
When I awake and no one’s there
Who will sing my lullaby?”

Africa is a beautiful place, a place that I love to call home. When writing, I try o paint a picture of this Africa: a place where people love each other and the Lord, a place of hope and resilience, a place of blind faith, of renewal and life. But today, I want to tell you a story that breaks my heart. It is my hope that it will break yours too. I hope that tonight you will struggle with your warm shower and home cooked meal as you ponder the question, “Why me? Why am I so blessed?” I pray that this story could challenge you, could make you long for change. Africa is a beautiful place, but today, let it break your heart.

This is the story of Sumini. Sumini is a 5 year old girl that looks no older than three. Her cheek bones, hip bones, rib cage and shoulder blades poke out in the places that an American child would be cute and chubby. Her hair is not the jet black it should be but rather gray-brown from malnutrition. It is 4 am. Sumini is sleeping restlessly next to me in my bed (probably on the only mattress she has ever seen in her life) with a 105 degree fever. Sumini is dying. Just last week a lively, blissful little girl in my kindergarten class, now she tosses and turns helplessly leaving me to pray harder and longer than I ever have in my life. My heart physically hurts in my chest.

5 days ago Sumini walked the three miles to school with a very high fever. Guessing it was malaria, I took her to the hospital and was right. They gave me her treatment but only after warning me that with malaria as far along and sever as hers combined with sever malnutrition the chances of her survival were slim. So here I am. Just watching her breathe and knowing it could be last. And I’m sad. And I’m angry. And I’m scared.

Sumini loves to sing. When she does her voice is small and beautiful and full of joy. She also loves to color. She has gone through two whole coloring books and several of my walls since she has been with us these last few days. She is always eager to help; t\when she got here she found a jerry can and wanted to take it to the lake to fetch water. (She was shocked to learn o f a tap, that water could just flow out of the sink right there in my house!) She is learning her alphabet and to pick different colors out of her box of crayons. She is just a child. She could be your child. She could be you. She could be me. Instead she lives in a dirt hut the size of my little shower with her grandfather who is just about too old to move. She goes days with food. She walks miles to school even when she is sick. Before school, around 5 am, she walks a mile to the well and then back again with 20 pound of water on her head (and she barely weight\s 60). THAT could be your child. THAT could be you. THAT could be me. She didn’t choose the life she was assigned and you didn’t either. So what if the roles were reversed? What if you were small and scared and dying in Africa of a totally preventable and curable disease and she was sitting comfortably at your computer with a mug of coffee?

When the disciples asked Jesus what the blind man did to deserve his condition, Jesus replied, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned but this happened to him so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:3) Poverty is not a sin. I believe it is a condition, a circumstance that allows God’s work to be displayed.

Sumini smiles at me. In the dark, her black face blends right in and all I can see is the bright flash of her teeth. Sumini will not die – not today, because God has put me here to make sure of that. God has put me here to hold her. God has put me here to give her a sponge bath every hour and ibeprophen every four. God has given me the provision to be able to afford the malaria treatment her grandfather cant. God has woken me that I may spend tonight praying vigilantly for the welfare of this child. But what about the others? What about the countless other children who will wake up tonight scared and burning with a fever so high it will kill them? Will anyone notice them? Will anyone even care? Who will sing their lullaby? Who will hold them when they cry?

Every circumstance is an opportunity for God’s work to be displayed. Will we do His work? Will he be displayed in our lives? Sumini could have just as easily been you. How will you change your world today?

8 comments:

jena said...

As you hold Sumini in your arms, please know we are praying for her. My heart aches to hold her too. Last night as we heard the Watoto kids sing the Lullaby song I couldn't even see through my tears. It is such a powerful song and to see the kids singing it right in front of you is life changing.

Grandma said...

Katie, so sad! I'll be praying for Sumini & also for you. Stay strong so you can continue to care for her.
Love you so much.
Grandma

becca2008 said...

And once again, Katie, you get me crying. I can hardly see my computer screen on which I am supposed to be doing homework...I will be praying for Sumini and for you too.

Hugs,
Becca

mom said...

mom said...hello my dearest darling and approx 3 weeks and I get to hug and kiss you!! How amazing that on March 2, the 4th Sunday in lent this same Gospel concerning expanding your own "blind spots" was being discussed.We are all blind in many ways and because we are blind, no one can convince us we can't see. You are so awesome and I LOVE YOU.

Kayla Mc Moore said...

hey Katie.
we dont know eachother very well,but im friends with Shannon and Jamie Wallace.I met you right before we left for Uganda last Summer, and hearing about your soon to be journey then filled me with encouragment. Now that ive seen pictures of you in action and doing Gods work im so proud of you! I want to do exactly what your doing in Africa. My journey in there was life changing and i was onlythere for 2 weeks.I cant even imagine what Hes doing in yours. Your are wise beyond your years and are truely, truely a blessing to those children. God bless and i will definatly be praying for you.
-Kayla Moore
email: blueyedblonde2010@comcast.net

Jewels of My Heart said...

I am humbled and yes, my heart broken.... Oh, how I hope as I read on that there is good news of this precious little one.....
How blessed I am as I sit here at my computer reading your posts from more than a year ago......
My two children are nestled safely in their beds asleep. My precious son and daughter that the Lord answered the prayers of a little girl who held tight to the hope that one day I would hold them in my arms..... Jesus brought them home to me from Russia and from China.... My heart cries out for my daughter that I know awaits me... my circumstances tell me there is no way to even begin the journey to bring her home but my heart can not, will not let her go.... No, she is my journey of faith and my God is faithful.... He will bring home this precious little one to her family too.....
Too all the little ones around the world, to all the orphans whose body, heart and soul ache to be held and loved by their families.... I pray for a miracle from Jesus............... for hearts to be opened.... for red tape to be cut... for the mountains of lack of finances to bring our children home to be thrown into the sea....
Our God is able to do all things!
God's Speed home little ones.... into the arms of your loving mothers.... may each of you be held tight as she sings you a lullaby....

Zipporah A said...

This had me thinking and I'm extremely sad and I have fully decided to let God lead me wherever he wants to. Thank you for helping those children Katie

Anonymous said...

Know that I'm praying for your family like Paul prayed for the church of Thessalonica in Thessalonians 2:17-3:13. May love be multiplied and overflowed throughout your life