markgumm’s posterous

Yesterday was a moving day of ministry in the Nairobi slums. We went in groups of 6 with members of Fountain of Life Church and armed security escorts, to do home visitation for people suffering with HIV/AIDS.
It was a scene that is indescribable, with mounds of trash and raw sewage flowing through the gutters and narrow passage-ways. Pretty intense, but a blessing to share the gospel with some people and pray and encourage some that know Christ, and to see contentment and the true joy and peace of Christ in a whole new way. My most memorable visit was with 30 year old Ennis and her 2 year old son Morgan, both HIV positive. She used to wash clothes for less than 1 per day - around 20 a month. She pays 8 a month to rent her 6x6 home with black plastic bags sagging as her roof - filled with holes that leak water into her home when it rains. This meager space that she shares with her 3 kids was barely standing room for our group of 7.
 Today Ennis sat on the floor with her Bible next to her and 2 year old Morgan crawling from the floor onto her lap. She sits with her back against the twin bed - the only bed for her and her 3 children. She is too weak to stand up to greet us, with injury and infection/ sores on her legs. She smiles and praises God, her eyes filled with tears of joy that brothers and sisters in Christ would come to visit her. I will never forgot the contentment, just her son and her Bible and yet she was so filled with joy and hope despite her physical illness and her desperate situation. I wish I could bring her and her story to every church in America as an example of what Paul wrote when he said I have learned to be content no matter what the circumstances. Earlier in phillipians 4 Paul starts that chpt by saying "rejoice in the Lord always". Ennis was a living example to me and I praise God for her. More stories to come from this day.