On several occasions we have visited permanent temporary villages made of shacks. Poles of whatever sticks and fenceposts that can be found and rusty used corrugated tin are the standard building materials. The floors are often dirt. Sometimes there are steps and porches made out of dried mud. With temperatures approaching 100F, you can imagine what it feels like inside. The heat just radiates off the tin ceiling like an oven. Sometimes there is a woodstove heating water for washing or cooking. It's almost unbearable. There is no running water or electricity, and the outhouses are often little more than a few sheets of tin around a hole.
The people living here are often refugees from other African countries. Almost all of them have some sort of malady, which is no surprise given the living conditions. While visiting these places, we saw HIV/AIDS, TB, unexplained tiredness (if you can imagine that in the heat), various aches and pains, etc.
When asked if they were Christians, they usually said yes, but when asked if they knew who Jesus was, the answer was frequently no. In short, their situation seemed deplorable and hopeless. I found myself wondering how they had any hope at all.
In one village a guy in his 20s or so asked me "How can I believe in God when I have nothing?" He had recently lost his job, he was living in a shack, and he had no food. We prayed for him, but feeling mindful of James 2:15-16 we found a nearby store and bought food for him as well. We don't have the resources to do this for everyone, and it's hard to see so many in need and have little to offer. Nonetheless, we offered what we had, and in reality it is far greater than anything that we could physically give them. We offered them the hope they so desparately need by telling the the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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