Monday, July 18, 2011

the blessing to give

I was working on the report for Somebody Cares for this quarter when I stopped at the story of four little girls that has truly changed my life. No, they are not from Malawi. These girls come from Arizona. They are Adoniah(9), Eliana(7), Samara(6) and Tzuiyah(4). These little girls gave their savings for Disneyland and through their generosity we were able to buy shoes for 224 children who had never worn shoes before. I wish I had been there when the shoes were given but I was stuck behind a computer. But I heard the stories; Charmaine said kids peed in her hands, scared because of the shoes. Some cried and some laughed while others tried walking in shoes. I have so many shoes that it is hard to imagine never having worn shoes or even having one pair of shoes. But I heard the stories and I saw the pictures! And they lifted my heart to a place I cannot explain. 
More than the day and more that the pictures what truly changed me though is the story... the story of these little girls. They touched me. I cannot believe what they did right until today. It is still hard to comprehend. It is not hard to imagine but to reconcile, well, that is another affair altogether. Thin about this- saving money for a car, saving thousands and thousands and then one day giving it all away...to people you have never and may never meet. This is what they did. They just responded to a call to help and made a decision. It was all their savings, these little girls and they gave it all. Could you do that? I can honestly say, I probably wouldn’t be able to. 
There is a lot of support that comes to aid our communities and the story of these little sisters has made me so much more appreciative of that support. I know theirs is not the only inspiring story but it is the one that never leaves me. Every friend I have has heard this story because it talks about the childlike heart Jesus wanted and still wants us to have. The one that says, “Yes, we can give all we have because God will take care of us.” That takes trust in God, a trust that growing up ruins, what with its bills and fears and plans. I ask myself, “when was the last time you gave with such reckless abandonment?” I can’t remember...too long. What a blessing it has been to hear and experienced Jesus through these precious little souls. 
I pray that they never lose that in them...that life and people do not rob them of that precious heart of obedience to God and I pray more earnestly that I am changed and that you are touched.