Today I went to do a house church in a family home 5 minutes walk from where I live. Situated in one of the poorest slums in the world on the fifth floor of a derelict building.
Climbing the stairs to get to the top floor is a beautiful and heartbreaking struggle. The intense heat, the stench, the puddles of urine I have to walk through, the naked children running up and down the stairs playing happily, the barking rabid dogs, the loud crackling music blaring from broken speakers, the cloud of cigarette smoke, the piles of rubbish, the drunk men laying on the landings, the cries of babies craving more milk, the smell of glue, the snotty nosed kids that run into my arms screaming "Hello Ate (big sister) Leah", the constant smell of fumes from the many tricycles on the street below, the pile of dogs mess I almost tread on, the smell of charcoal burning. I'm not much of a sweater, but walking these steps, the sweat flows like a river lol!
This is an experience that over the last 7 years has become almost normal to me. But I never want to become immune to it, so I consciously breath in and out, keep my eyes and ears open, awakening my senses to all that is before me. It's hard and beautiful all at the same time. I see joy and pain in the same eyes. Pain because of how difficult life is, and joy because they are choosing to smile despite their circumstances.
I arrived at our beautiful house church. The first time I visited was really hard for me, like I said before, seeing poverty and people living in squalor on a daily basis, and now living in this beautiful community, has become normal. The first time I was at this family home I was handed a baby by a mother with one eye, but the eye she had was sparkling with so much joy as she thanked God for her new arrival, and how healthy he was. I immediately knew this two week old tiny bundle of joy was not exactly 'healthy'. In fact he was dehydrated, extremely tiny, and finding it hard to breathe. A huge lump gathered in my throat and I offered my congratulations to the precious mother, while beginning to pray for this child's life. The smell was so strong, sickness, poverty and heaviness surrounded their one room tiny 'home'. The baby was sleeping on the dirty concrete floor, the walls were dirty and rats and cockroaches ran across the floor. It was the first time in many years that I had felt physically sick in a place of poverty. I don't believe I have become hardened to what I see, I just think I've learnt how to deal with it over the years. But this time, this day, I felt like throwing up and I felt a sadness fill my heart. "This is too much, Lord". I silently prayed. "What can I even do in this situation? What I have to give them is not enough. Please do a miracle".
I was then introduced to the grandfather of the baby, who sat in the corner of their dingy room, paralysed all the way down his right side and now unable to speak due to a stroke. He looked sad, disconnected. I reached out and held his hand, looked him in the eyes and smiled. He nodded and smiled back. Other friends and family members joined our meeting. We sang songs, shared Bible verses, prayed with each other and gave out bread and juice. I smothered them all in hugs and kisses and we left.
I got home to my place that afternoon and sobbed alone. I sent out a prayer request to some family and friends around the world and immediately people started praying for this family. It was encouraging for me to know they were being covered in prayer by people who don't even know them.
The next day I went to the store and bought loads of baby supplies, and milk. I returned again, climbing the never ending stairs to the fifth floor, drenched in sweat, feet black from dirt and puffing my lungs out!! Although the house still had an unhealthy smell hanging around, it was so lovely to see the baby looking much better and feeding well. The family had been given a plastic sheet to put across the floor which made it look a little nicer and cleaner. We again sang songs together and talked about the love of Jesus, the family thanked God from the bottom of their hearts because they had all seen another day and He had again provided for their needs.
Today, I visited them again and it was the grandfather that choked me up this time. I chatted with him and he smiled back at me, because he can't speak. I asked if I could take a photo. One of the reasons I love to take photos is so I can look back and remember people, then I am reminded to pray for them. I took a photo of us together. And showed it to him. He smiled. I looked at him and said "pogi", which in Tagalog means handsome. He broke down and tears streamed down his cheeks as his body shook. He began to mumble and point to his mouth and paralysed side. I could see the pain in his heart, the stroke has stolen so much from him. I hugged him and prayed with him, we asked God for a miracle, again, believing in faith that He can do anything!
The Bible passage that we shared with the house church today was in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
The yoke is the wooden frame joining two animals, usually oxen, carrying heavy loads. Farmers would take a younger ox and yoke it with an older ox. The older ox would take the weight of the load and the younger ox would walk alongside him in ease, learning from the older ox.
Jesus is saying He wants us to come beside Him and find rest in Him. His desire is to help those who are exhausted and weary. We often try to carry the load ourselves and the fact is, we aren't meant too, it's too heavy for us. Jesus came to carry the load for us. When we give our load, whatever it may be, over to Him, we can walk in such peace, strength and internal rest. Worry and fear do not need to cripple us anymore because we have surrendered our load to the yoke of Jesus. He walks alongside us, strengthening us one step at a time. I don't have all the answers and there are many things I'm exposed to that I just don't understand. But what I am confident about is that He [God] loves and cares for all of us. And life is so much easier and fuller when we give up and give our all the Him.
After reading about my friends in the slums you may feel like you don't have any burdens now. But, wherever we are in the world, we have all been broken at one time or another. Bad things happen to good people all the time, all over the world. It's just the way it is. We left the house church today with everyone smiling and laughing, because they surrendered their load to Jesus. Now, don't get me wrong, it doesn't mean it will be easy, but Jesus promises to be with us and He will lighten our load as we daily trust in Him. It's a daily choice to take His yoke upon ourselves.
My prayer for you dear friends is that wherever you are in the world today, whatever you, or those you love, are facing, that you would take Jesus' yoke and give up doing it all in your own strength. He is waiting for you with His arms outstretched ready to lighten your load. He is able to fill your heart and mind with peace and give you the strength and grace to overcome everything that is thrown at you. So be encouraged and be blessed. You are not alone. You are loved and believed in. You are destined to overcome.
"Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you'll discover that I'm gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear." (Matthew 11:28-30 TPT)