Out of the darkness of complacency and into the light of compassion…

I will never forget meeting Andrea. If I were judging a book by its cover, I’d say she looked like a college girl, maybe in a sorority or something, lots of friends, bound to be successful someday. And in a way, that would be a correct assessment. But that is not the whole story. Andrea, a former University of Colorado student had chosen to spend a semester abroad learning micro-financing in Uganda. While there, she happened upon an orphanage in critical condition. The children were being badly neglected and even abused. Her heart broke for these orphans who had no advocate. That’s when this college student decided to do something. She called her parents and said, “I’m not coming home.” She refused to leave these children until something was done to improve the conditions.

By sheer determination and refusal to give up, Andrea and her sister convinced the Ugandan government to close down that orphanage, which left about forty children with no place to go. The government handed the children to her. Andrea brought this need back to the states with a new vision and desire to create a safe place for these children to grow and learn. Today, Musana (which means “sunshine”) is a thriving orphanage in Iganga, Uganda, housing over one hundred children! Andrea prefers spending most of her time in Uganda, not the U.S. She’s a long way from a sorority house or a college campus. She’s reaching the world, and bringing hope to people, one helpless child at a time. When asked what it was that made her fight for these children she simply said, “I just kept thinking, ‘if I don’t do something, who will?’”

Andrea’s story floored me. Today, so many of us Christians talk so much about being the hands and feet of Christ, but never really displaying what that looks like. Andrea has gone to the extremes to show us all what wild abandon to the cause of Christ looks like. It’s not about talking. It’s about doing!!! It’s time for us to do something! – Matthew West