The rustle in the bushes made my heart skip a beat as I trotted along to dump my garbage. They had just finished telling us to avoid all long grass because this is where the black mamba's and cobra's liked to hang out. Otherwise known as two of the most venomous snakes in the world. A few of the base mission children had already run into a couple recently.

PHEW. . . No snakes but I could hear voices at the garbage pile behind our house so if I had to cry out for help at least someone was there. The voices . . . No! Now my heart didn't skip a beat but it began to break. As I got closer to the pile of garbage where I was to dump my trash there stood two shirt torn village kids with sticks. They couldn't have been more than 8-9 years old and they were intently digging through the garbage scavenging through for a lost treasure. I realized the half mush and overly ripe bananas Bruce had placed in our trash would more than likely be these two boys treasure.

Memories flooded my mind from the previous days working with street children and ministering to those in the hospitals. One 8-9 year old little street girl had this faraway look in her eyes as we laid hands on the children to pray and hug them. It had been made clear to us these children didn't get hugged much so the more we embraced them the better. Yet as I watched this young girl's face I could see the trauma, the pain, the . . . Anger. Oh if I could only reach over and take it all away.

Two days ago the women and I from my team sat in a small circle with women who all had AIDS. Many also had children who were physically struggling because they had this horrific disease plaguing their body as well. Each woman in their own language cried out their prayer requests. Prayer request that made me think about how trivial my "first world problems" truly were. We were asked to share one of our testimonies but I couldn't help but tremble. What did I have to offer? I didn't have this deadly disease ravaging me.

Then the hospital. Oh my. Going back the second time seeing small children who had been there the previous weeks with little to no change in their circumstances. My heart wept as I surveyed the filth that surrounded them. The dirty linens they lie on, the trash cluttered under beds or even the broken window and screens that did nothing to protect them of mosquitos. They simply lie in wait helplessly with all the others in need of medical attention.

The lack. The pain. Where is God in the midst of it all?

As I listened to Kim, from our team, pour out her heart about the importance of forgiveness to the women in the small group who all had AIDS the truth penetrated my heart. God is right there. He wants each of us to share in the pain. He wants each of us to ask Him what we are to do with what is in our hands and to trust Him with the rest. We can't take care of all the needs in our sin filled world but we can be obedient to what He's placed in front of us. We can weep with those that weep. We can share how God has been our comforter with those that need Him to be theirs. We can walk beside those that are troubled. And we can PRAY and see God intervene.

Thank you to each of you for praying. God wants to work on your behalf. We still have four weeks left. Tuesday early morning we leave for Arua and your prayers are what pave the way for us to be utilized by God.