"Yesu Azali Awa"

This morning while in line at Starbucks I caught a caption on the front page of this mornings Chicago Tribune. The caption read Congo: anguish far exceeds aid. It describes the death of 4 million people and displacement of 800,000 more because of war. While the news focuses on the crisis in Darfur people in the Eastern Congo are suffering unbearably. God longs to show mercy and grace to these precious people. May he send people into the white harvest fields to bring the power of Jesus into the darkness.

As I grabbed my Vanilla Latte I felt a sudden feeling of sadness and guilt for the wealth I have. Here I am drinking four dollar coffee while millions of Congolese people run miles to escape death. Many days go by and I don't even consider those on the other side of the world who have to leave their homeland in search for water, food and shelter. I want to have a bigger heart for prayer and petition for these people. I feel guilty for having so much when many others fight for the basic things of this life that we take for granted. I was not asked to be born into privilege. We don't wonder if the electricity will work or whether the water in our tap is safe to drink. Hundreds of choices of food are available at our fingertips and we have never know what is feels like to be truly hungry. Since coming home I have noticed everything is bigger, better, more efficient and more complicated. When I lived in Nigeria I was more content with what I had because I didn't fall into materialism, and yet here somehow I can't get enough stuff.

I love the group Selah. They grew up in the Congo as missionary kids. They sing many Congolese songs and this one is especially dear to me:

Yesu azali awa
(Jesus is here)

Yesu azali awa
Yesu azali awa

Yesu azali awa na biso
(Jesus is here with us)

Yesu azali awa
Yesu azali awa

Yesu azali awa na biso

Biso toko komo kuna
(We are going there)

Biso toko komo kuna
Biso toko koma kuna na lola
(We are going there to Heaven)

I pray the Congolese people will be comforted by God's love and to know that he is near to them. Those that know him can trust in his promise that one day they will be with him in the glories of Heaven. Come Lord Jesus, come!!