The Lord is close to the brokenhearted...

Today Psalm 34 speaks of God’s love, comfort, and care for those who fear Him and call out to Him. The Psalm is full of amazing promises and images of God’s faithfulness.

Today Noah and I once again visited one of the poorest informal settlement communities here in the Philippi township. There is quite a spectrum of the poverty that exists in the Cape Flats townships. The primary township communities were established decades ago during the apartheid government. Some of the communities were even started before the apartheid took strong hold here. So, by now, much of the townships have established homes, paved, roads, community services, shops, etc. It is on the outskirts of the townships where even more desperate poverty exists. The informal settlement of Sweet Home Farm if one such settlement. Here the people still live in shacks. Just a year ago the government brought in public toilets, water faucets, and more defined dirt roads. The conditions these people live in stands in stark contrast to the wealth and homes you find in the hills of Table Mountain and along the coast here in Cape Town.

Noah and I walked spent time shadowing a man named Joy, who truly represents his name well in Sweet Home Farm! Tonight as I read Psalm 34, my honest initial response is to question just how God is close to the brokenhearted and how he saves those who are crushed in spirit, when I see the poverty and suffering I saw today. BUT! Then I am quickly reminded of people like Joy who are the hands and feet, eyes and ears of God’s comfort, love, and care promised in this Psalm and throughout scripture. His relationships and compassion for people living with HIV/AIDS, the seniors of the community, and the young children are visual demonstrations of God’s closeness to the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit. It was a good reminder to me tonight that I too am called to be an instrument of God’s compassion and love.

The past few days with Noah have been awesome! It is good see Cape Town through fresh eyes and ears, especially from Noah who is another incredible example of sharing God’s compassion and love to those in desperate need. I am thankful for his perspective and voice in this discernment process. I look forward to more days with Noah, as well as David Chronic who arrives on Thursday night.