Some dumb punk singer once wrote:
"...quit wallowing in your failure
get yourself off your mind.
God uses broken vessels
they're His favorite kind..."
I think of a pot with a crack in it. More glaze is placed in the crack to fuse the pot back together. It's left with a scar, but it's stronger. It gives it character. Sometimes being broken is a result of personal failure, seeing your shortcomings and being filled with sorrow over it. It can be mixed with a peace that comes with knowing that God has favor and grace for us. It's kind of humbling.
There's another kind of brokenness, too. It's kind of like being broken by someone else's situation. This kind of brokenness can lead us to tears -- but tears in prayer (probably THE best kind of tears). This is the kind of brokenness that can come as a result of seeing suffering in a third world country.
The founder of Compassion international was brought over for a speaking engagement back in the early 50s (I'm guessing 1952, but I'm a bimbo, so I could be wrong) and he saw kids huddling together in the streets to keep warm. They only came out at night, cuz the government didn't want anyone to see them (and have to admit they had an orphan problem). In the morning the police would come to clear up the scene. Any kids left were dead ones from the cold, which they took away and discarded. The guy visiting on a speaking gig was asked, "Now that you've seen it, what are you going to do?" He started Compassion International as a result. That's the kind of story that people who visit third world countries can tell. It changes you to see something that hurts people -- especially when you can help.
You and I can help by sponsoring a child. $32 a month goes to helping them in real, tangible ways (food, clothing, education). Every sponsored child I saw there (and especially every parent of said children) went out of their way to thank me for all that I'm doing. I'm just sponsoring one child, but they thanked me personally, as if I was helping them directly.
You should have heard the people ask me THAT question. When they found out I was from America, they'd ask me, "Oh, do you know so-and-so?" I hadn't heard of the person they named, but they were asking about their sponsor. They wanted me to thank them. We had lunch with one young woman last Sunday. She had been sponsored by a woman in Minnesota named Mary Ann Nystrom. We were asked if we knew her. This young woman (I think she was about 20 or 22) wanted to meet Mary Ann more than about anything. She was so grateful for Mary Ann's simple help of sponsorship. Mary Ann saved her life, basically. This young woman (named Prossy) was a college student that was being helped by Mary Ann after her sponsorship was completed/graduated. She is a young entrepreneur, who wants to open her own business. I can't remember the details, but it involves being part of the construction business, supplying something that'll compliment building ... I think. She is currently going to college and she would not be anywhere near where she is now, had it not been for Mary Ann Nystrom's sponsorship.
It was so neat to see Prossy's enthusiasm for her sponsor. Mary Ann emailed her every single day. I believe she's helping pay for her college, now, too. Once a child graduates from the program, I think it's possible for direct connection to be made, so that the relationship can continue into adulthood. That was so radical.
Man, I've got so much more to write!
I've got pictures to post, some info on our boat trip up the Nile River, the safari, all the baboons hanging around ... wow.