Part II
Where there is Light
In my last Post, I discussed the presence of evil in East Africa
Yet, as all this evil, tragedy, and pain is going on in East
Africa, the hope and good is equally as great. The church has been exploding
more in Africa than anywhere in the world, outside of China. People are coming
to know a God who loves them in a whole new way. Christian organizations like
World Vision and the International Justice Mission have given millions in aid,
but more importantly, human effort to help, to give justice, and to rebuild.
Aids
has dramatically decreased in Uganda in the last decade, thanks to education
and awareness programs made by the government, as well as American, English,
and German doctors coming in to do testing and education. HIV infections in Uganda have fallen
from 21 percent to 6 percent between 1991 and 2000.
Rwanda is focusing more on women’s rights, largely in part
to their female president. Orphanages are springing up everywhere for children
of genocides and diseases. Then there’s Sam Childers, a biker and preacher from
Pennsylvania who goes into the bush with a small militia and rescues children
from Joseph Kony’s LRA, then rehabilitates them. Childers is called “The White
Ghost” in the bush, because he too can not be killed, despite the multiple hits
that have been put out on his life by the LRA. Perhaps most importantly, hope
has returned to East Africa.
Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo. They border each other
in an area no bigger than the U.S. East Coast. I feel there is some connection
between these places and something unique about this region. Irish Monks
believed there are certain places in the world where the wall between our world
and the spirit world is very thin. They called these “Thin Places”. It was
believed some of these places were so thin that spirits, good and evil, would
pass into our world easier than others, creating hotbeds of spiritual activity.
I believe East Africa is a Thin Place. A spiritual bull’s-eye of sorts. Possibly
the greatest one in the world. So much spiritual activity, good and evil seems
to happen in this one concentrated area. The more I talk to people who go
there, the more I find this to be true. Even in my own experiences, there’s no
place like it.
As time goes on, the good seems to be getting better, and
the bad is getting worse. I bring all this up because this is an important
area. Something is going on over there. Something big. I feel it is important
for Americans, and Christians to get involved and serve in East Africa.
I’m
looking to take another medical team to East Africa to give aid to villagers in
need of treatment, education, and prayer, much like we did last year (please see
video). I strongly feel called to this post. If you do too, please contact me
about coming along.
After all, what greater place to be a light, than in the Heart
of Darkness.
Join us.
Last Year’s Trip: Video
Recommended Films To Watch:
An Unconventional War (docu)
Invisible Children (docu)
Last King of Scotland
Tears of the Sun
Blood Diamond
Hotel Rwanda
The Ghost and the Darkness
Recommended Books To Read:
Another Man’s War- Sam Childers
The Hole in our Gospel – Richard Stearns
Good News About Injustice- Gary Hogan
Heart Of Darkness- Joseph Conrad
Maneaters of Tsavo- Lt. Col. John Patterson
No comments:
Post a Comment