MARY - A GIFT!

Many of us have ‘heroes of the faith’, Christian men and women who lived their lives in such a way that we can easily point to them as examples of how Christians should live. If you asked people who their hero of the faith would be, most people would identify someone who either gets a mention in the bible or died some years ago.  So it was a joy for me to meet someone who I consider to be a modern day hero of the faith. 

Mary is a teacher. She is not employed. She lives in Mathare slum, one of the largest slums in the world, along with an estimated 600,000 people. During the morning we talk to her about her life in the slum. She tells us that tensions run high between various tribes and groups (as evidenced after the post election violence). She tells us there is little by way of clean water or sanitation. She tells us that people are fearful and insecure all the time.  During our visit, she shows us a landslide site, where 12 people had lost their lives and many more lost their homes one week ago. She discreetly shows us an illegal brewery (we are told not to take pictures as we would be subjected to violence) and tells about alcohol being the scourge of the slum. She shows us the one registered clinic in the slum and about how difficult is to access the very things we all take for granted. She tells us a lot more but it is difficult to write about all the various issues that affect Mary and Mathare.

Then she takes us to The SA's Kosovo Outpost. We walk the last kilometre as our 4x4 vehicle can’t deal with the last part of the journey. As I look through the facilities and hear about what happens in this pathetic building, all that comes through my mind are the words from the gospel of Matthew;

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

The light blue building is The Salvation Army hall and school

Both Heidie and I were moved to tears. However despite all the despair and poverty, we came away with an overriding sense of hope, largely because of people like Mary. Mary is someone who serves humbly, receives little credit, lives incarnationally, sacrifices willingly and has found a way to demonstrate her faith and love for others in this world.

In the ground floor of what appeared a rather unsafe structure (SA Hall), Mary runs an informal school for 262 pupils in the most appalling conditions.  The classrooms are tiny and flooded, they are full of dirt, and they have no door and no windows and lack any real educational resources. The school has no running water and has about 12 cups, which the children have to share. Yet every day, Mary teaches children who otherwise who have no access to schooling. Every day, Mary feeds children who would otherwise go hungry. Every day, Mary gives a little hope to children who are in desperate situations. Why? Because she loves Jesus.

Mary is also the Asst. YPSM at the outpost and helps out at a midweek Children’s Club and the Sunday school. Recently I read that in scripture and early writings Christians are said to be "poor while making many rich." Well, there is something about Mary that is my opinion that despite her obvious poverty, she is making children very rich. I am reminded that Jesus had time for the children of our world, thereby demonstrating their value to Him, and Mary is following in His footsteps by placing value on some of the poorest children to walk this world. 

Me and one of my heroes of the faith!

 There have been many heroes of the faith. Mary in one of mine.  Much has been written about incarnational living and I am sure there are many theological debates about what this actually means. However, Stuart Williams writes “incarnational living is a calling, a choice and a challenge but ultimately a gift.” Mary is a gift to the people of Mathare and I want to say thank you for her. I am also going to try and support her as best I can and you'll probably hear more about that over the coming days. But most of all I am going to pray for Mary and her work and thank God for the hope she brings every single day.