I recently heard in a sermon (Fact. Hillsong NYC pastors are on fire these days :) that the literal meaning behind the word "Inspire" is "to pour spirit into somebody else." Pretty cool concept, right? Well, ever since the first day I met Barbara, I knew she was going to be nothing short of inspiring to me. Her physical beauty is obviously captivating, but her INNER beauty goes beyond anything I've ever seen!
It only took a few days for me to learn that according to the world's standards, this girl has got it ALL. She's the leader of the girl's choir, class valedictorian, and need I mention that her looks are "Uganda's Next Top Supermodel" status? (She's 14 years old yet half a foot taller than me!)
The first week I was there, she discreetly handed me a letter, covered in hand-drawn flowers and a cross. In the letter, she asked me what my favorite color is, and how many brothers & sisters I have. I thought it was cute and I wrote her back even though I remember thinking how busy I already was with teaching prep!
Though it started off so surface-level and childlike, I found our letters getting more and more personal with each exchange.
Barbara: "Let me tell you about how Dennis (her twin brother) and I came to be here. My father died when I was only a baby. My mother is alive but suffering with AIDS and cannot care for us. When I look at you, I see my mother and father's faces. Because you provide for me the love that my parent's never could. Sometimes, when you come to the orphanage, I don't come near you because I start to cry. I just cry and sit somewhere thinking about the love that you show me, and how no one else has loved me just the way I am. I know that God has sent you to Uganda for this reason. And I know he is using you to heal my heart."
I must have read that letter over ten times that night. All this time, I'd been so worried about preparing a great curriculum for my students, not collecting enough donations for the orphanage, when all along the only thing the kids yearned for was for someone to COME AND LOVE them the way Jesus has always loved, and always will love them. Jesus never worried about curriculum standards, or money, or final exams! He simply entered earth to BE with us - to laugh and play and suffer and INSPIRE (to pour spirit into) us! And by the grace of God, that's what I was going to do for Barbara! Here she is modeling for Tufts :). Beautiful much?
One day I asked her what her dream for the future was. I had a couple guesses up my sleeve...become a politician, get married and break out of the poverty cycle so that she can send her children to college in America? Own her own beautiful house with tiled floors and plenty of space for her kids to play? Become a Victoria's Secret fashion model? (just kidding on the last one!). NOPE! Her answer totally floors me once again.
Barbara: "I hope in the future to never marry so that I focus on becoming an good doctor, and spend my life traveling from country to country, serving orphans just like me. I want to show them that God loves them and they have a reason to live."
Why is it that those that have so little, are so willing to give away everything? While those that have so much, are so afraid to give away anything?
As for me, getting to call Barbara my Ugandan "little sister" has been such a blessing. I'll be sponsoring this beautiful lady's education for the next few years, and am working on advocating for her to study medicine in America someday (I can see her stopping traffic all over NYC already ;).
Dear Barbara,
I inspire you, you inspire me! :)
Love, Auntie Jane
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