Just Start

On the second day of our time in South Africa we started the day with a lovely breakfast in the dining room at the hotel. We were briefed on how Acres of Love works and told the full story of the organizations founding from the founder, Gerda. She told us about how she and her husband got the call from God to take in the first few AIDS orphans, how He made it clear they were to provide these kids with the same love, care, potential, opportunity that they would their own children, treating them no different, sparing no expense. She gives full credit to God for the success of Acres of Love and the 20 homes it now operates. She told us about the many miracles that they have witnessed in the children, about the strict mandate from God to press on and grow the organization and have faith that He would provide all they needed to care for the kids. What a blessing to hear her story and feel her deep passion.
From there we got to spend a couple of hours at the Acres of Love preschool with about 20 kids. They came running outside to see us, so outgoing and friendly, grabbing our hands, leading us to the jungle gym, sand box and swings. I was amazed at how gorgeous, joyful, secure, and trusting they were. They were healthy and happy and hopeful. What a drastic difference from the children we had seen just the day before in Soweto. How lucky these children were to be placed in the care of Acres of Love after the trauma and devastation their little lives had already endured. It was such an exhilarating time to be in their presence, to play, to laugh, to enjoy their very life with them. From there we went to an ice cream party in the park with about 50 other Acres of Love kids and had a blast with them. It was incredible to watch them all interact, the older ones looking after the younger ones, holding them, making sure they got a bowl of ice cream. They were running and climbing and laughing and playing until the very last minute. I couldn't help but remember, as I looked at them, where they had all come from, what they had been through, how much they had lost. Now they were safe, happy, healthy, playing, eating ice cream. Such simple things that we and our children take for granted, but that these kids claim as a victory.
From my hotel room that night I reflected on the day as I journal ed. It was a happy day. I smiled and laughed a lot. I felt alive and hopeful and grateful and honored to be with those kids. I felt very much aware of the contrast between the two worlds I had already seen during the short time I was there. My heart couldn't help but still ache for the kids that I had seen the day before in Soweto. There were images burned into my memory that I wished I could just get rid of, ones that I know will haunt me forever. I felt a deep sadness and desperation. My heart was aching and my mind racing over what I could do, how I could help, ways I could change the situation for those helpless kids. Then I would feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem and feel defeated, inadequate, small.
I remembered something that Gerda had said that morning. When she and her husband got the call from God to open a home for orphans, they too could have felt too small, too inadequate to do anything meaningful to solve the orphan problem in South Africa. They could have just thrown their hands up, said "forget it, there is no way we can make a different!" But they clung to a quote that they had read in a book called "Acres of Diamonds." It told her that "if God calls you to do something...just start!"