When we talk about TOUCH in Uganda, the program is synonymous with its founder, Sara Sebyala. The children there call her "Mama TOUCH" or "Mummy Sara". In the United States, Sara represents the children, sharing their stories and inspiring us to help with the task of raising so many hurting little ones.
After all, Sara has been doing this - caring for children orphaned or trapped by poverty and sickness and war - for over 13 years. The TOUCH program, you might say, is her "baby".
In a recent phone conversation, we talked about faith. She said to me, "Kay, the children are already here. They are hungry, They aren't eating at home. I have to have faith to feed them."
400 children x 2 meals a day = 800 meals a day
That's 24,000 meals a month
and 288,000 meals a year.
Every day, the children return to school. Education, they know, is important, but it is the food that keeps them coming. The food is vital to sustain them, but there is still one more important thing being dispensed at TOUCH - faith.
We have seen the children comforting one another after parents die. We have seen them as eager helpers in school and in the community around them. They share the gospel. They tell what God has done for them. They pray like warriors.
This is the influence of Mama Sara and so many other women of faith. Let's take a moment today to look at our lives and see the people God has placed within our sphere of influence. Are we showing them Christ?
After all, Sara has been doing this - caring for children orphaned or trapped by poverty and sickness and war - for over 13 years. The TOUCH program, you might say, is her "baby".
In a recent phone conversation, we talked about faith. She said to me, "Kay, the children are already here. They are hungry, They aren't eating at home. I have to have faith to feed them."
400 children x 2 meals a day = 800 meals a day
That's 24,000 meals a month
and 288,000 meals a year.
Every day, the children return to school. Education, they know, is important, but it is the food that keeps them coming. The food is vital to sustain them, but there is still one more important thing being dispensed at TOUCH - faith.
- Because Sara believes that God has placed these children into her care, she cannot turn them away.
- Because she cannot turn them away, she has to have faith that God will provide the food.
- Because she has faith that God will provide, she is able to love the children, instead of seeing them as a problem.
- Because she loves the children and does not see them as a problem, the children can see that God loves them, too.
- Because they see that God loves them, the children know that they have hope and a future.
- Because they know that they have hope and a future, the children's lives are changed from a mere daily existence to extending their own faith and love back into those around them.
We have seen the children comforting one another after parents die. We have seen them as eager helpers in school and in the community around them. They share the gospel. They tell what God has done for them. They pray like warriors.
This is the influence of Mama Sara and so many other women of faith. Let's take a moment today to look at our lives and see the people God has placed within our sphere of influence. Are we showing them Christ?
-Kay
I stole my blog title today from the post that inspired it - you can read Richele's post at the Internet Cafe - Richele wrote about another way our moms influence us, and she has a great prayer for all of us today as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment