A Sad Reality...

There are so many amazing things I have experienced here and I have memories that are so unique and special. There are a lot of joys that I have had and I am so blessed to be here. But the reality of life here is so very different than what I grew up with and there are also many reminders of that. Below is a story that hit all of us missionaries intensely and reminded us of why we are here and what a need for there is for the hope of Christ.

Awhile back, there was a surprise at the Rundu hospital when six children, siblings, were brought into the hospital with what appeared to be sickness from something they ate. Although the doctors did what they could, one by one, each child passed away. The youngest was almost three and the oldest was eighteen. The youngest passed away first and the oldest last. It came out later, although without any strong evidence, that the parents had poisened all six of their children. This is shocking but it is not for the reasons you would hear from this type of situation in the US. These parents had basically lost all hope. They had no way of supporting their children. They could not afford to send them to school, pay for clothes or feed them adequately. What must it be like for a parent whose heart felt their was nothing that they could do for their own children, no way to provide the basic neccasities of life for them. These parents truly believed that it was better for their children to die than to continue living the way that they were. It is hard to think about this situation and I am not sure how to feel about things. There is no excuse for killing your children but the hopelessness that these parents feel must have been overwhelming. And I think about the older children, as they lay in the hospital bed knowing what probably happened. How must the oldest child felt as he watched his brothers and sisters pass away. The reality of life here is so different than what I have ever known. The hopelessness and the deep need for Christ is different than I have ever known. I do ask for your prayers. Please pray for us as missionaries. With as much joy as we see in what Christ is doing, there are continually stories like this one that keep us aware of why we are here. But also be praying for the people of Namibia to really reach out to a God that brings love and hope. He is really the only one that can bring them exactly what they need.

Below are the pictures of the graves of the six children.