Harvesting The Future

It is harvest season in Novet's small town, but it is also harvest season in her life. God is harvesting the next generation of leaders who WILL change the world in ways that glorify Christ, and Novet is a part of His harvest.

In his book, “Too Small To Ignore”, Compassion International President Wess Stafford makes it clear that the children are not the future, because if we wait until the future to develop their potential, it will already be too late. Children are the present, and like the meaning of the word “present”, they truly are a GIFT to the future.

Although Novet is only 14, God has long been preparing her for His harvest. He has gifted her with so many blessings – intelligence, initiative, strength and strong work ethics, a mother whose spiritual influence has been crucial in her life, and a Compassion team who loves her and recognizes the massive potential in this young woman.

She shared with us that she recognizes that she is well because the Lord is doing His work in her life. Her focus is always on Him, and she knows that each blessing in her life comes from the One who provides for her.

When she’s not working hard for her family by caring for her siblings, teaching, leading, fetching water or cooking, she can be found studying God’s Word or her schoolwork. Every letter she writes to us updates us on her school progress. As a student with above average grades, it is evident that she takes education very seriously. She always asks for prayers to keep improving from term to term, she works hard to put forth her very best.

The reason she works so hard isn’t simply to break the cycle of poverty for herself, it’s because she wants to help the people of Uganda break the cycle of poverty too. She is studying to become the Minister of Forestry and Agriculture in Uganda, and humbly adds “if it is God’s will for me.”

God has a plan for this Godly woman. He has been watching what she chooses to do with the gifts He’s blessed her with, including the gifts He has provided for her through us. When she received her birthday gift last summer, although she purchased the clothing she needed, her priority was making sure she tithed a portion of the birthday funds to her church.

Imagine a woman like Novet in the role of Minister of Forestry and Agriculture, or any part of the Uganda government? Imagine someone with Novet’s spiritual leadership and financial stewardship combined? Imagine someone in a leadership role in the government who honors God in all that they do, with every decision and ever y blessing given? Someone who puts Him first?

More and more, I see a glimpse of God’s harvest in these Compassion children. Look at Compassion Haiti’s Disaster Response Coordinator, Elissaint Jean Jacques - once a LDP student, now responsible for coordinating all the Compassion relief efforts in Haiti and succeeding beautifully! More recently, Margaret Makoha, from Uganda no less, a former Compassion child and LDP student who was elected to the Ugandan senate! There are so many more stories like these. Each Compassion child has a wonderful story and place in His harvest.

God is doing amazing things in the lives of Compassion children all over the world, we are only seeing a tiny glimpse of His harvest, but what an inspiring harvest it is. These children are a present to the future, and that future is unfolding before our eyes.