Broken and Thrilled

My heart is broken. My soul is thrilled. My heart rejoices. My soul feels crushed. All of this happens every Tuesday afternoon as I gather with other volunteers and women in this community. While women come I assess blood pressures, answer questions mamas ask about their pregnancy or other health concerns, hand out Mama Kits, greet their young children and I pray. During the meeting we offer praise and worship, we share God’s Word together and we pray.

 Looking at their surroundings it could be assumed the women gathering here have nothing. But when I am with these dear ones, my heart is broken and my soul is thrilled. My heart rejoices even as my soul feels crushed. And just when I think I have seen it all, THIS HAPPENED on Tuesday…

As the opening announcements were being given  and ladies straggled into the gathering, one very pregnant mama stopped to talk to the leader. In turn, the leader shared with me that one of the mamas who comes regularly gave birth within the last 48 hours. All was well with the mom and babe until about 24 hours later when the mom wasn’t doing so well. She was transferred to a hospital.

The leader reported she had just been told that mom has nothing with her in the hospital. Her husband is in prison. She has no baby clothes. She has no food for herself and no money to use to meet any of their needs. This is not an uncommon scenario for these women. The leader said the mama who told her of this dire situation wanted to know if they could ask the women gathered to contribute to help the mama in the hospital. I agreed with the leader, “Yes! Let’s give these mamas a chance to be blessed through giving.”

The announcement was made. The ladies stood and prayed together for the mama in the hospital and for her tiny newborn. They prayed earnestly, with sincerity, asking God to intervene and meet that mama, one of their own. My heart was broken but my soul was thrilled! I could almost feel the breath of the Holy Spirit.

And then, they put what they had into the offering cup. 

They gave, and not just a little. These precious women collected nearly 40,000 Ugandan shillings (just over the equivalent of U.S. $10)! Amazing! My heart rejoiced in their generosity even as my soul felt crushed with the weight of what they would be going without in their own homes in order to help give life to the mama and newborn in the hospital. I could almost hear the angels rejoicing.

On Tuesday afternoons my heart is broken. My soul is thrilled. My heart rejoices. My soul feels crushed. And I can hardly wait until Tuesday comes again.

Christine