EMPOWERED BY LOVE: A VISIT TO PEACEMAKERS
The moment is always bursting with joy.
Whenever our Lahash team reunites and travels to a partnership, the reunion is sweet. “It feels like coming home,” said Sponsorship Director Katie.
We could see the children through the gate, in their dark green uniforms and kaki hats, sheltering their skin from the harshness of the African sun —a necessary item for a child facing albinism. The children gathered with curiosity, while we waited with eagerness on the other side of the gate, anxious for it to open and the welcome to begin. The gate slowly rolled open. Our Lahash team, from Kenya and Portland, rushed to embrace our friends. For a couple of Lahash members, this is their first visit to Peacemakers for Albinism and Community, in Tanzania.
Reverend Martha embraced each of us with so much ferocious warmth. She is the mother of this ministry, serving children in the region who have albinism. We listened to her in her office as she shared her story.
Born with albinism, Martha grew up in Tanzania facing abuse and harm. She struggled to believe her life held beauty and worth. God powerfully intervened in Martha’s life the day she tried to take her own life. “Don’t be afraid, I love you.” The Lord spoke to her after rescuing her from drowning in a river.
Despite continuous threats to her safety, Martha encountered the unconditional love and goodness of God and founded a ministry focused on caring for children with albinsim. The words of Christ to her, “Don’t be afraid, I love you,” fuel her life and work as she communicates the same message of love to children born with albinism.
She is working tirelessly to change the stigma around albinism and invite the community, country, and world to advocate and care for children facing this disability. Reverend Martha ensures that the children who come to her find safety, receive an education, and experience holistic care. Most importantly, her children learn that their lives have intrinsic worth and that they are deeply loved and known by a kind and present God.
Reflecting on Reverend Martha’s testimony, Katie shared, “How powerful it is when we can receive God’s love and his delight in us. Reverend Martha finds her joy, identity, and peace in God, and this gives her confidence to do the good work he’s called her to and to do it with great love!”
“What does it mean for you and the children when visitors come?” I ask as she sits at her desk. Mariam has arrived and is busy bringing in tea and baked goods, welcoming us with her gift of hospitality. Mariam has served at this ministry for over a decade. She cooks, sews, and teaches the kids. During the day, she rallies the kids into song and dance. Her energy, zeal, and passion are inspiring.
“It means we are loved,” says Martha.
The gift of presence and travel to partnerships conveys value to the precious children in the program. “Encouragement is a ministry in itself. It means being present, listening deeply, affirming the unseen efforts of our partners, and speaking life over the children we meet,” said Edwin, Lahash East Africa Director. “When we take the time to know their stories, we reflect the heart of Christ, who sees and knows each one of us by name.”
Many of the children receiving care at Peacemakers were abandoned by their own families and seen as a burden instead of a blessing because of their albinism. One small boy, Shadrack, who sits in the front row with the younger children, stands out to me. I hold his hand. His father drove him for nearly 13 hours to place him in the care of Peacemakers. The child is three years old. Reverend Martha has taken him into her home to care for him.
A girl named Glory locks eyes with her sponsor, Lahash staff member Jessica, and you can see the light, the delight on her face—the two run to each other for an embrace. During the day, it is evident that Glory is a leader among her peers; she is quick to answer questions about the Bible and leads the group in song and dance.
“Lahash has changed my life,” she says, standing up before her peers and the guests. Glory shares that her situation was dire before the support of Lahash and Peacemakers. “We are living well now. I thank you, Lahash, for everything.”
“You realize the impact that sponsorship can make on a student like Glory. Now she can attend school and participate in the program during the day. Who knows where she’d be without sponsorship and the program,” shared Jessica, Administrative Assistant for Lahash.
The children radiate love and joy.
I ask the children to “raise your hand if you know God loves you.” Hands lift. “Raise your hand if you love Jesus.” All hands are in the air, and we take a moment to praise the Lord with jazz hands. Mariam breaks into song, leading the children in chorus, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” The kids sing and dance. Kate, Lahash Sponsorship Coordinator, leads a group of children in acting out the story of the Good Samaritan. It is a joyful day! Weekly program days at each of our partnerships are designed for worship, studying the Word, play, and sharing a meal.
What has struck us as we travel around East Africa is that it is God’s delight in us, joy over us, love for us that motivates us to serve. “Lahash is not just about the work we do, but about the love that motivates it,” said Edwin.
He recently exhorted the staff to grow in our relationship with Christ and that “when we do this, our capacity to love others expands. We reflect Christ’s heart when we step into homes, classrooms, and programs with compassion, humility, and grace.”
When you know you are loved, you are secure to serve, to radiate love, to step out your front door and visit your neighbors, to pack a bag and fly to whatever corner of the world God invites you into, because love is like that.
May the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
If you’d like to sponsor a child born with albinism, we currently have over two dozen kids in need of a sponsor today! You can be a part of the eternal impact in these kids’ lives by starting a sponsorship today at Lahash.org/Sponsorship