75% Survival Rate
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Pastor Rey recently returned from Africa where he had a chance to meet amazing people, to be reawakened in his faith. He was shown miraculous acts of God and was inspired by the people he met. |
None of us would settle for those odds. In almost any arena of our life, 75% is not good enough especially when it comes to our children. I wouldn't accept a 75% survival rate for my children, family or friends. That would mean 25% would not make it. That's not good enough. I'm sure anyone of us would do whatever was necessary to ensure the number increases so that our loved one would survive.
I met a man named Nehemiah who would gladly exchange a 75% survival rate than what he experienced in his childhood. His mom and dad had 16 children. Only 4 survived. The other 12 children died of malaria, a preventable and treatable disease. The cost of the medicine was a few dollars, but it might as well have been millions of dollars for Nehemiah's parents. So Nehemiah being the fourth youngest buried his three younger siblings. His family's survival rate was 25%, a tragic figure that is sadly common for many in Africa.
Nehemiah did survive, through many miraculous acts of God. As he recounted his story to us, tears flowed from his eyes. He explained how as an orphan he felt powerless, vulnerable, and headed for a life of misery. He saw it in his older siblings and in the children all around him. What chance could he have to escape? When he lost his father, he wasn't even allowed to go to the public school so he would sit outside by the window listening to the teacher 'stealing education.'
By the grace of God, he was able to receive a first class education in Nairobi, which led to a great paying job far away from the misery of his past. But God called Nehemiah to return. To start a school and several orphanages and to care for the children who are now facing what he faced as a child.
Now Nehemiah wants to serve God by changing the survival rate. He wants children to experience the love of their Heavenly Father. So he has started a school in the Soweto slums with 3 orphanages. He has also started a school back in his village with 1 orphanage. In total he is serving close to 2000 children. And he is not settling for a 75% survival rate. He is chasing after Gods best for each and every child.
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