Today I found out that one of my Namibian students has gone
to be with Jesus - “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His
saints.”(Psalm 116:15) She was in grade five when I taught her, and I know that she loves Jesus, is no longer suffering, is
enjoying the glory of Heaven, and for this I am truly thankful. My heart
however, aches for her family, friends, and for the FHS community. I have been
back in Canada for a year and a half now, but the people of Namibia still
dearly hold a piece of my heart.
Upon return from my short time overseas, many people asked
me what I learned from my experience. This
is indeed difficult to sum up in a few sentences, but the most impactful of the
numerous things I learned was a new way to love. God grew my heart in Namibia
and taught me to love as I had never previously experienced. It is very rare
that a day will pass without me thinking about the students of FHS. They were
and still are very precious to me. They exemplify strength, determination, joy,
and hope in the midst of oppression. They are exceptionally beautiful people.
As I continue to learn more about what it means to love like
Jesus, I’m also learning that loving more deeply leads to hurting more deeply
too. With the passing of this young girl, I’m yet again awakened to the injustice
of poverty in our world which kept her from the medical care that surely would
have been accessible in Canada. The reality of how desensitized we are as a
people to the world outside of our comfort zone is heartbreaking (I include
myself in this reality). Jesus’ love towards the oppressed was not merely a
feeling, but rather, the state of His spirit which lead Him to action.
A while back I read an excerpt from Francis Chan’s book Forgotten God. It can be found at: http://www.charismamag.com/entertainment/572-j15/newsletters/the-buzz/6835-francis-chan-forgotten-god-
The following lines really stood out to me and I’ve
continued to reflect on them over the past couple months. “Is it not an emergency that children in Cambodia and Thailand
and even the U.S. are being raped every single day of their lives? Why is that
not an emergency?... Is an emergency only an emergency if it affects me and my
immediate family?”
So today I write to you with a hurting heart. With tears for
those mourning the loss of this precious child. With a stirred brokenness for
the injustice and poverty of our world. With a desire for Jesus’ return to
bring an end to all this suffering. And also with a question which needs prayer
– how is Jesus calling me today, to practically respond to the emergencies of
our world, to be His hands and feet, which He has called all followers to be.
Thanks for reading,
~Heather
