Too Many Needs and Not enough Hands

This is a Journal Entry from July 30, 2010

I woke up this morning to the same revelation… the everyday needs are overwhelming here. I was bombarded with these thoughts: one of the orphans is sick with the mumps, how is the teacher that revealed to me yesterday that her husband tried to beat her again, are the teachers really understanding that my purpose here is to help them, are the kids really getting the best possible education… this one has jiggers, that one HIV. Snotty noses, ear infections, every problem is magnified here. What about water or the lack of food? It would be so nice for all the kids to have shoes, a uniform with all the buttons, notebooks and pencils they don’t have to sharpen with razor blades. Not to mention a textbook of their own. What happens to this one when they walk home 6 miles in the rain or does this one really have a home to go home to? My eyes have seen each of these things first hand and my heart has no idea where to begin. I have been paralyzed by the sheer number of needs, big and small. I noticed when the team arrived that I am unable to record events of the day like before. I finally realized today that my eyes have been seeing one need at a time and it’s been easier to manage and process thoughts and possible solutions. When the team arrived an amazing thing happened. 20 sets of eyes began to see and process the needs at Tumaini. All of a sudden I was being made aware of 20 very immediate needs at once. My brain began to shutdown and feel helpless to do anything about even 1 need. I’m thankful that while talking with my parents tonight the Lord brought this thought to mind. All I can do is what the Lord brought me here to do and with His strength and power it is more than enough. Every issue big and small is in His hands.