True Joy, True Hope, True Religion

As I type this blog, I weep. I'm ok, just broken. I talked to Bill today and he told me this story from today:
The team went to the mass grave sites and looked over the enormous holes dug out by a back hoe, these holes would be soon filled in by unclaimed, unnamed, AIDS victims. Yes, victims...Nameless, fatherless, widowed, people seemingly forgotten...And the team looked over the beautiful land and realized the red mud was soaking with tears.
The team then headed to a children's village, where orphaned children live because of the tragedy of AIDS that has hit this country. The home they visited had 2 bedrooms and 20 children, who had been afflicted by AIDS, living there. There was one young woman, about 20 yrs old, plus some volunteers who cared for these children. The boys slept in bunk beds that were 3 levels, and there were 16 boys who shared a room.
The young girl who takes care of these children is crazy talented, she wanted to go to school, but she said "who else will take care of these children?" When she talkes about going to school, she seems to not be too worried, but, replies with a peaceful smile, "maybe some day."
As the team was leaving, these children, who, in our limited understanding of joy, should be hopeless and joyless, all joined together and sang a song loudly and joyfully in Zulu. With smiles they sang "We will never give up our hope and our joy in Jesus".
I have something to learn from these children about joy and hope, for although I do not know them, they are ministering to my soul.
So, the question Bill and I sat in silence and wept over together on the phone was "If the Word says to care for orphans and widows in their distress, for this is true religion...what do you do when widows are caring for orphans"