A couple years ago, while in a 24-7 prayer room, I was overcome with a desire to connect with God’s heart for Africa. It was an intense experience that lead me into a time of passionate prayer. Since that night I have read a number of articles, talked with a couple of friends who have spent time in Africa, and recently read a couple of book about the continent that has grabbed hold of my heart in such a mysterious way. My interactions over the past couple years have lead me to a simple conclusion; the incredible injustice in Africa causes God much sorrow. Everything from the AIDS epidemic, to government corruption, to the recruitment of child soldiers leads me to believe that God must cry for this hurting continent and it’s people. To acknowledge the problems and suffering in Africa is merely the tip of the iceberg in my opinion. We need to ask ourselves what we should be doing to impact the situation?

Having never stepped foot on African soil, my understanding of the issues is limited to books and the stories of others who have. Perhaps that is why I find this constant nagging inside me to be so moving. Lately, not many days go by where I don’t think and pray for Africa. I am overwhelmed by every story, picture, and article that I encounter. Truthfully, my spirit is so engaged at moments that I am moved to tears.

Daily, parents are dying in alarming numbers due to the AIDS virus, war, and needless hunger. The death of so many parents has left millions of children without the care and guidance that most of us took for granted growing up. All over Africa children take care of younger brothers and sisters, and the "lucky ones" find themselves in orphanages with no hope of their situation ever changing. It’s impossible to imagine what it’s like, but I do feel that God is allowing me to connect with this troubled part of our world. One day I hope to go and meet the people that God has laid so deeply on my heart. I believe that this connection has and will continue to expose me to God’s heart for justice.

As days go by, I’ve made a commitment to cultivate the awareness that grows with every book, story, and leading of the spirit. I want to share some of these things via this blog in hope that you too can connect with God’s heart for so many… hurting and dying. I’ll start with this video, taken from the website of a true modern day hero Stephen Lewis.

This file is kind of big, so it may take a minute to load before it plays. Don’t worry, it’s worth the wait.