In Phokeng, South Africa there is a woman who cares for orphans and vulnerable children in her community. Mama Agnes is a true hero, sacrificing much to help these children have a better life.

Follow the link below to watch a video of Mama Agnes sharing her heart.

Last month we received a phone call that a local primary school wanted to make a donation to Mama Agnes. Mama Agnes is one of the ladies in the community that we work with. She helps feed between 80 and 100 orphaned and vulnerable children every day from her home.

The school was celebrating Mandela day. Every year South Africans celebrate Nelson Mandela’s birthday by encouraging people to participate in community service for 67 minutes, in honor of Mandela’s 67 years of fighting for social justice. I think that it is remarkable that Nelson Mandela did not want his birthday celebrated as a national holiday; instead he wanted it marked by service to others. Mandela is truly an extraordinary man. In honor of Mandela, every child in the school brought a food or toiletries item to donate to Mama Agnes and the needy children that she looks out for.

I thought that I was just there to drive Mama Agnes and to help her transport all the donations back to her house. When we arrived we were escorted in front of 1,500 students waiting patiently in the hot sun for the presentation to begin. Mama Agnes, myself, Rebecca (another missionary we work with), and my two oldest kids Madison and Kyler were brought to the front of the school assembly and asked to sit in the seats of honor for the presentation. For Madison, Kyler, myself, and Rebecca, it was a little awkward to be in front of all the students. We aren’t heroes, Mama Agnes is. I was just there to provide transportation.

Nevertheless, it was great to see Mama Agnes be honored with several speeches, and several songs from the choir. There were enough donations to completely fill my SUV and another pickup truck. We took the food to Agnes’ house and completely filled her living room. She was able to make little parcels to give out to all the children that she looks out for.

Part of the donation was canned meat that she fed to the kids the next day. That day the kids were in an unusually happy and energetic mood. Agnes told me, “The kids are happy because they got to eat meat today.”

Last week I was in Freedom Park, a local squatter camp. I was visiting AIDS patients; praying with them, and bringing them food. I’ve visited hundreds of AIDS patients during my time in South Africa, but each time I’m shocked at the hopelessness that I find there.

Truly without hope, beaten down, defeated, no end in sight, despair.

The word most often used by Jesus to describe hell is “Gehenna,” translated literally, “valley of Hinnom.” In Jesus’ day the valley of Hinnom was an actual place. It was the city dump where a fire constantly burned and wild animals fought over the refuse, gnashing their teeth. When Jesus used the word “Hell” people knew what he meant; they didn’t have to imagine it, they could walk to the edge of town to see “hell.”

Imagine that you are a single mom, inflicted with AIDS. You are so sick, you can’t rise from your bed to care for your children. All day, all night, you lay in a 4ft by 6 ft shack with no floor, no windows and a low tin roof, baking in the hot African sun. You have no control over your bodily fluids. Your children cook their own food in the shack using paraffin, a waxy petroleum based substance that puts off noxious fumes, burning your throat and eyes.

I can’t help but think that if Jesus wanted to describe hell today he wouldn’t use the word “Gehenna” he would use the word “Freedom Park.” For those of us blessed with the opportunity to reach out to AIDS patients in Freedom Park, we know hell.

We’ve seen it, smelled it, touched it, felt it’s heat breathing down our backs, its stench has burned our throats, and its fumes have burned our eyes. To me, hell is not only just a place in the future. It’s a place here, now, with real people suffering.

Why is this important? I take the Lord’s prayer quite literally when he says, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” I’m confident it’s not the Lord’s will for this mother to suffer alone, dying of AIDS. I’m confident it’s not the Lord’s will for her children to live as orphans.

My mission is to bring Heaven to earth. Or more accurately, to destroy Hell with the incredible, overwhelming, life changing, life bringing, renewing, sustaining, healing love of God.

I’ve seen hell.
I’ve seen God’s love.
Love wins.

~Lincoln