Thursdays are by far my favorite care point days because we go to Mahlabeneni. Over the river and past Matata, to Mahlabeneni we go (over the river and through the woods to Grandmothers house we go). As soon as we step out of the car, my team is greeted by many smiling children from that community. It makes us feel loved. One of the main reasons I love this care point so much is because of my sweet friend, Tema. My heart breaks for this handicapped young woman who I fear may never understand God’s unfailing love for her. She was fearfully and wonderfully created.
God always seems to amaze me and today was no exception. He picked up the broken pieces of my heart for Tema and mended them back together. He did this by blessing me with His eyes so that I could see his beautiful daughter, Tema. I was then able to see her unexplainable joy that could only come from one place, God. She always has a big smile on her face even though she does not fully understand what she is smiling about.
What is the continuos source of her joy? How are her eyes always full of joy and hope? Does she even know how much she is loved by God? Has she heard of what Jesus has done for her on the cross? These questions swarm my head and even are haunting at times, but then I looked at her big, white teethed smile. Her smile is so wide that it makes her brown eyes squint because her cheeks are raised so high. As I looked into her dark brown eyes, I was filled with God’s joy that was overflowing out of this beautiful young lady that was standing in front of me. I was reminded of what Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to God’s purpose.” Because of God’s grace, sweet Tema has been created the way she was for God’s own divine purpose. I trust that God’s plan for his precious daughter is better then anything that I could have ever imagine for her. God has Tema in his hands and there is no better place for her to be! I lay down all of my questions at the feet of God because I fully trust His plans for Tema.
