During our SLAM service camp in Mombasa, Kenya, I had the privilege of co-leading a service project with one of our GOD East African SLAM leaders, Raphael.
We took our group to visit a woman named Anna, who is partially paralyzed and living with her Mother.
When we arrived at Anna’s house, she was slowly walking with her walker, doing her physical therapy exercises. She greeted us with a bright smile, and a gentle voice. She was so happy to receive us. She asked if we would walk with her as she did her exercises until her mom returned home, as they shared the house they were living in and she wanted to respect her.
We walked with her, and sang songs in Swahili as she worked hard to put one foot in front of the other. I watched the faces of the SLAM participants in my group as they displayed love and compassion. I saw one of the SLAM youth empathizing with Anna as they watched her walk barefoot on the hot, sandy clay. I saw the student take off one of their shoes, and place their foot on the ground to feel what she was feeling as she walked.
When Anna’s mom arrived, she told us that that very morning, the Holy Spirit spoke to her and told her that she needed to leave work and be home by 12pm. Sure enough, when she arrived to find us visiting with her daughter, she knew why God had spoken to her.
She joyfully welcomed us in and testified to God’s faithfulness to bring us to visit them.
I organized our team and we effectively served Anna and her mom in various ways, including picking up trash around the outside of their home so that Anna could have a clear path to walk, some of the students made her and her mom chai, and the rest of us stayed to visit and talk with them.
We asked them questions about their lives, and Anna’s mom brought out pictures to tell us their story. She explained how Anna’s paralysis was brought on by a deep depression and intense stress she experienced in 4th grade.
But by the grace of God both of them testified to God at work in their lives. They ONLY spoke about how good he has been to them. Anna specifically shared how Job was her favorite book of the Bible, because she related to his suffering. She said just like her, no matter what he suffered, he never blamed God, and neither will she.
Her mother continued to testify to God working in their lives, and she told us of how God had brought healing to Anna over the years. Helping her to rehabilitate from not having any feeling from her neck down, to now being able to sit up, walk with her walker, and do some daily tasks for herself.
My heart was breaking as I saw such a bright girl with intelligence, have her health and future opportunities stripped away from her. Although it was a moment full of brokenness, what made it beautiful was watching all the SLAM youth surround Anna with such love, affection, and attention. I was filled with so much joy as I watched each one of the SLAM youth serve their community members with their hands, their love, and God’s Spirit.
By the end of our visit, her mom shared that God had blessed her and Anna by having us come visit them. We prayed for them and hugged them tightly, looking them in the eyes as we told them we loved them.
Anna cried as we were leaving, saying, “please stay here with me. Please don’t leave.”
Although we were leaving in tears, we encouraged her that God would be with her always.
On this day, I saw the face of Jesus in a woman named Anna.
“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
Matthew 25:37-40