How did your
day start today?
Did you wake
up in a soft bed under a roof that kept out the wind and rain? When you took a few short steps to the
bathroom and turned on the tap did clean, drinkable water come out? Did you open a fridge or cupboard filled with
food and select what you wanted for breakfast?
Did you hit the drive through on the way to work and grab a Tim’s
coffee? If you did, was the cost of that
coffee 1/3 of a day’s wage? (1/2 a days if it was Starbucks). Did the thought cross your mind on the way to
work that your safety might be an issue?
If
everything above (and more) was a daily struggle for you, if many of life’s
most basic needs were often out of reach, could you sit across from someone and
genuinely tell them you were so thankful for everything God had given you? That is what I have seen every day this week. That’s what every person on this team has
seen when we have taken the time to sit and talk with the families we have been
building houses for. Yes, we have
absolutely heard about their struggles when we ask, as they tearfully tell us
how this new house will drastically improve their lives and open new
opportunities. It's just that they tell
us with a sense of gratitude and thankfulness for what they DO have, for the
relationships in their lives and for the blessings they have received. Shouldn’t they be filled with bitterness
because their lives lack the abundant material accoutrements we have in
Canada? We complain when our big screen
TVs won't stream Netflix fast enough.
Shouldn’t they be complaining they don’t even have the electricity that
would operate a TV?
They
don’t. And it is so, very, humbling.
Today our
team went to one of the Compassion Centers where many of us met with the
children we sponsor through Compassion's program. It was the second time I would meet 10 year
old Anthony and his grandmother, but it was the first time I was meeting his
little sister Sugey (age 4) who we are now also sponsoring through the
program. When we entered the room where
all the kids were waiting to surprise us, I initially couldn’t find them. As I scanned through the sea of people
searching, I was suddenly struck from the side as a pair of small arms wrapped
around my waist in a tight hug. I looked
down to see Anthony and was then immediately embraced by his grandmother and
his little sister.
Through the
day we had a great mix of planned activities as well as time I could just sit
with the family to talk. I was again
faced with the same attitude of gratefulness as they explained how the
sponsorship was improving their access to health care, positive role models and
spiritual guidance for the kids, educational benefits and hope for the future. Being part of Compassion's program is definitely
helping them, but life is still a challenge.
Still, their main question for me was that they wanted to know what they
could pray about that would help me in my life.
That evening
as our team sat together for our daily debrief others shared very similar
stories with some of the younger team members explaining how the experience has
changed the way they view priorities in life.
Sometimes people ask me why I bother getting on an airplane to go on
trips like these instead of just sending money.
They don’t get it. They need to
come here to see for themselves. We live
in a country rich with blessings but it often feels like we have lost our way.
I sometimes
wonder if I spent 51 weeks preparing for this trip or if this 1 week trip is preparing us for the 51 weeks
back home.
by Mark Ewert
Really appreciated that Mark. So well described.
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