Wednesday, May 9, 2012

...He’s still Faithful

words from a woman who is bearing so much on her shoulders. a woman who has lost her husband. A women living with HIV/AIDS. A women trying to raise kids of her own…still says that He is faithful! A women who works in her garden every day to try and make ends meet. A woman who has a growth on her neck that causes additional pain to what she is already dealing with….still says He is faithful! A woman who just had 5 MORE children abandoned to her from another lady who didn’t want her own children with HIV/AIDS…still says that He is faithful! a woman who met jesus for the first time just a year ago. A woman who gives sacrificially and puts others before herself. A woman who stands strong amidst the storms and trials…still boldly proclaims that her Lord Jesus, her Father in Heaven…is FAITHFUL & GOOD!

Meet my beloved HADIJAH. One of the many widows ROWAN is ministering to. Her situation is like so many others. the loss of her husband. disease stricken with HIV/AIDS. becoming the main caregiver. the task of maintaining the garden production to make ends meet. It’s a daunting cycle and reality of so many people. And just when you may think you have heard enough, there seems to be more…

As I sat with hadijah in her house, I couldn’t bear it any longer. I broke. I couldn’t keep the tears from falling. I began weeping in her presence. several faces looked towards me in confusion of why I was crying. Fighting through the tears, I finally got words out, saying, “I understand a little of the pain. I understand how much it hurts to loose a family member. To be left to figure out life. To try and make sense of it all and to try and keep going every day.” (i just couldn't quite grasp the idea of the only parent i had left, disowning me because I was sick). Hadijah, though, has welcomed these additional children in with loving arms and with full assurance that God will take care of ALL of them. 

as we sat together crying, she continued to say...
"though there is so much, HE IS STILL FAITHFUL AND GOOD!"

a video below...

(I was encouraged to make a little personal video of my visit. This is the first one I've ever done so bear with me! :) Also, in case you were wondering...AMAKA is a new program through ROWAN by bridging the gap even more to the people in Mawanga. As you become a member, you become a part of our family..which is in fact the meaning of AMAKA) 

Enjoy...

3 comments:

bekah brinkley said...

love the video, Joy. thanks for faithfully sharing how God is working in your heart and the hearts of the orphans and widows of ROWAN. miss you, love you, praying for you.

Judy J. said...

Joy, I can't hear your voice over the music!!! What do I need to do? :-) I love technology and hate technology in the same breath! :-/

Joy said...

oh i forgot...you can turn off the music on my blog at the very bottom of the screen if you scroll all the way down. hit pause button and then go back up and hit play on the video. you will then be able to hear me. sorry about that! :)