I’d like to post a disclaimer about this post right up front.

It’s probably going to feel uncomfortable to you.  You will probably start having that feeling of defensiveness about half way through. I feel a little bit insecure about writing any of it, but not enough to stop.

I had that uncomfortable feeling today in a real way.  It’s because I went to see a movie.  I’ve been looking forward to it for a few weeks, because I read this book awhile back, but wow, kudos to Disney because they totally got it right!  And wow, did it impact me.  I felt like someone popped my heart out of my chest and completely scrubbed it raw.

You can check out the trailer to The Queen of Katwe here:

http://www.fandango.com/queenofkatwe_189751/movieoverview?cmp=ST_Disney_OMD_queenofkatwe_Google

As I watched The Queen of Katwe, I felt like I was completely back in Ghana in the slum community of Accra.

The single mother struggling to provide for her children.

The young children selling in the streets so they can eat.

Teenagers who have never attended school and cannot read.

The greetings and the smiles amidst the difficulties.

Children who just need someone to speak confidence and value into their lives.

The singing, the dancing, and the humor.

The tiny, little homes with leaky roofs letting in the rain.

People who feel God has forgotten them.

An older sister pregnant because a boy gave her the attention and food she so desired.

The whole family  tucked into one small bed.

Yes, it was all so very familiar.  I honestly had a really hard time holding back the tears for the two hours in the theatre.

On the way home, the reality of life hit me like a ton of bricks.  I remembered sitting in church this morning while our pastor preached about the rich, young ruler.  During communion, I felt the conviction in my spirit of a couple of specific “things” that I really “want”.  I’ve been determined to get them one way or another.  It usually just takes a bit of managing, a bit of striving, and a little work, and I can make the things I want in life become a reality.  I’m too embarrassed to say what they are, but trust me, it’s totally ridiculous.  I need NOTHING.  Absolutely NOTHING.

On the way home from the theatre, I just had this overwhelming sense to press on.  The first few years of Arm of Hope, a lot of people were excited about it.  New opportunities definitely engage others!  But now sometimes, 5 years in, it’s discouraging.

I mean, let’s face reality.  When I post my son’s grad pics and a sentimental post about missing him and watching him grow up, I get over 100 people “liking” it and 20 plus people commenting, not to mention people bringing it up when they see me.  But when I post about sponsorship for Arm of Hope, I get maybe 5 “likes” and 2 comments (one usually being my mom).  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting my confidence in Facebook, but I think it is worth mentioning.

I know how people feel, because I’m human, and I’m guilty of the same thing.  I can’t comment and encourage someone because then I’ll  have to sacrifice and support, right?  Ignoring is so much easier.  It’s like when I have a table set up at church to raise awareness for sponsorship, and I see people passing by on the opposite side of the lobby looking straight ahead.  Yeah, it happens a lot.

And then there’s the comments.  “Oh, we already support some child somewhere; two would just not be a possibility!”  Or  “We have kids in college, so we’re very tight.”  Or “We’d like to do that sometime when we’re more financially stable.”  Or “We’re just not too sure about sending money to who knows where.  I mean, you never know where it’s going to end up, and you can’t be too careful with your finances!”

Oh, the first-world strategies we connive in our brains to make us feel better about keeping our money for ourselves!

I’ve always been a firm believer in the fact that if you don’t give when you have a little, you certainly won’t give when you have a lot.  I’m also totally sold on the idea that if you give till it hurts, God will show up for you in a big way with His unlimited provisions.

The reality of Arm of Hope is that currently we have about 100 of the 250 children we are sending to school personally sponsored.  Fortunately, we’ve received some very generous one time gifts that have enrolled all the children for the new school year, but it’s not a permanent situation.  We’ve been whittling away at that 250 number all year, and we are not even half way there.

On the way home from the movie today, I felt convicted, and mad, and confused, and broken, all at the same time.  Why do we all have so much and share so little?

Cable television?

So much good food at my disposal that I struggle with my weight?

An i phone?

So many clothes in my house that I complain about organizing them?

Net flicks?

Sports and other activities for the kids?

Pizza night each week?

Frequent coffee shop stops?

I can answer “yes” to a lot of these.  I pay lots of things every month.  And just to show that I’m preaching to myself, yes, I have an i phone.  So does my husband.  We don’t pray about whether we should continue that every month.  We just do it, because we want it.  It’s kind of a non-negotiable.

I have also learned the incredible joy it is to share on a monthly basis, because it’s a non-negotiable.  Paying our sponsorships is something we do first, like we pay for our phones.  It’s not something we think about.  We give in the same way we pay our bills.  First.

So as I watched the movie today, it reminded me of two girls that I love.

One is Priscilla.  Just like Phiona in the movie, she is a fighter.  She is strong.  She needs a chance.  Someone to see her potential and  cheer her on.  She needs someone to direct that “fight” into something constructive, into a future that has purpose.

The other is Theresa.  I really saw her shine at camp this year. I saw her leading her friends, and I saw her gift of relating to and motivating others.  Before saying goodbye to her this year, I took her face in my hands and told her that she is going to be a leader soon at the camp.  She looked at me with such disbelief, but her eyes quickly lit up with such appreciation and hope.  “I want to do that!” she said.  All she needed was someone to notice her and give her a few words of affirmation.

Fortunately, Theresa and Priscilla already have personal sponsors so they are on their way to discovering their potential for greater things.  Unfortunately, there are dozens of other girls (and boys) just like them that are still waiting.  Today I felt like I was tired of being silent.  Tired of waiting and being scared.  So I’m speaking up for my friends in Ghana who do not have a voice.  If I look ridiculous or offensive, so be it. I’m doing what God asked me to do, and I don’t expect it to make me popular.

So just in case any of you are still reading, here’s some things you can do to bring about awareness in your life for what is happening in Ghana and many other parts of the world.

*Come to our Arm of Hope banquet on October 29.  You can learn what God is doing in Ghana on that night!  Get your free tickets by messaging armofhopeinghana@gmail.com.

* Sponsor a child at armofhopeinghana.org for just $30 per month.

*Pray.  It doesn’t cost anything and if it moves mountains, I think it can also provide sponsors for kids in need.

*Go see The Queen of Katwe.  It will give you a very accurate window into Arm of Hope and what we are about in Ghana.                                                                 (And did I mention that for the price of taking my family to the movie today, I could put another child in school for a month?  It’s just one more example of my privileged reality of which I’m becoming more and more aware.)

Cheryl Zimmerman