Broken

With a high unemployment rate and rampant poverty, Tanzania is a country rife with petty theft. Unfortunately, today I was a victim.  I was volunteering at the U11 football tournament as a time-keeper and scorer on the HOPAC football pitch.  This pitch is enclosed by a fence, and anytime there is a match, there are tons of Sala Sala kids hanging over the fence and cheering.  I always love to see this, because they are so excited to be part of the action.  In fact, I joke that HOPAC-Sala Sala matches are actually a double home game.

Because I was intently tracking the game, I didn't see what happened, but suddenly noticed that my purse, which had been hanging on the chair by my elbow, was now wedged into the fence and all the children had fled.  Thankfully, my phone and driver's license were still there, but I estimate that I lost about 50,000 Tsh in cash (about $30 USD).

While I am upset about losing the money, it's the action itself that feels like a knife in my heart. After going into the quarry three times a week with service learning this term, and helping with Kids Klub at HOPAC once a week for a year, I feel invested in this community.  I feel like I know many of these kids, some of them even by name, and I know that a lot of them know me because they greet me by name.  We have a relationship, and this action of theft results in brokenness.

My first reaction is one of betrayal:  how could you do this to me?  Me, who loves you and wants only the best for you.

And then I think:  this is how God must feel, every time we sin.  He loves us.  He wants only the best for us, and yet we repay him with sin after sin, willful disobedient act one after another.  Our relationship is continually broken and yet His mercies are new every morning.  How amazing is His love!

Unfortunately, my love is not supernatural and so it's going to take the reconciliation work of the Holy Spirit in my heart to fully get past this.   I do know that this action was only of a few kids and I'm trying not to let it color my view of the community as a whole.  I also know that their poverty is very real, and my comparative wealth is humbling.  My plans for that money were some snack foods and Christmas gifts at the HOPAC Family Fun Day.  This money was not necessary for my survival. I also know that this theft is a very rare event.  I'm always struck by how honest these poor kids are.  If a ball goes over the fence, it comes back.  If they ask to take a turn borrowing my sunglasses or watch, these items are always returned before I leave.

With the help of Shaun, who leads the Kids Club, we quickly learned who the thieves were.  I did recover 20,000 of the money and I had the chance to talk to the ringleader, who was obviously frightened and upset,  All I said was in my broken Swahili.  "I am very sad because I go into the quarry every week and I love the children of Sala Sala."

I pray for the working of the Spirit in all our lives - the victim and the thieves - and that what was broken can be restored.