Thankfulness

{Since we have had very sporadic internet connections lately, I have been blogging offline, and so now I have numerous entries to post at once! This entry, Thankfulness, is 1 of 7 new entries. Please read oldest to newest, starting first with:
7) The Beautiful Maasai Mara
6) Camp!!
5) Fun Things!
4) Bibles and Tools
3) Elly and Violet
2) Wednesday, May 6, 2009
And then lastly, this entry,
1) Thankfulness

I know it’s a lot, so you can read them bit by bit, maybe one a day, or all at once if you’re sure you’re up for it!! :o) }

How thankful are you? What do you see as an answer to prayer? How different are your wants and your needs? Are you thankful for food? For water?

These are some of the questions that have been running through our minds lately. The kids and youth in Mitumba challenge us so much in the way we think, and we have been pondering the way we see life, and in the things we see as valuable. How thankful are we really?

Trevor and I prepared a lesson the other day on the Good Samaritan for me to present to the grades 4-7 during their Pastoral class. My challenge for their writing assignment was to think of a time when someone has helped them, has been kind to them, maybe shown them love even when they did not deserve it…basically when they experienced the love of a Good Samaritan in their own life.
I was wondering if it would be difficult for them to come up with something or to think of something so quickly. But no, they all started writing immediately.

Reading their journal entries later brought tears to my eyes. I have SO many lessons to learn from these kids who are growing up in this awful slum environment. Lessons about thankfulness. Lessons about trusting God for my every need. Lessons about remembering the kindness I have received from my “neighbour”.
Please take the time to read a few of these journal entries:

“A day that I had been helped and loved with my neighbour, is the day that I came to REM school where Teacher Violet helped me by sponsoring me to live in her own home that she had built by her own money. I thank GOD for He has touched Teacher Violet’s heart to take care of me because I am an orphan.”
-written by a 14 year old boy who lives in the Home.

“When our school was opened first day I went to school. I was lonely but there was a boy who came near me and he asked me if I was lacking of stationeries. Oh! I wondered how the boy knew that I was lacking of pencils. He help me with everything that I needed and I thanked him for it. From that time until now he is my best friend and we normally share things we get, example like books and other things. When the time he is in trouble I offered myself to help him, same to me when I am in temptation he always saved me.”
-written by a 14 year old boy

“One day my neighbour with food…when my mother is not having money to buy food that neighbour gives me food even when my neighbour is not having anything. When we have we can give him. I love my neighbour so much and thank you teacher Andrea to give me Bible, may my God bless you. I love you with all my heart and soul. Thank you teacher Andrea may God bless.” -written by a 12 year old girl

“The day that I was helped with my neighbour was Date 1st March 2009. She helped me with some water to drink. We was not having any food or water, even we was not having money in our house. When my neighbour helped me I pray. Sometimes if my neighbour doesn’t have anything we help her with some food. We love our neighbour as we love ourselves.”
-written by a girl in the Standard 4 class

“One day my mother was sick and my father was far away from home. Then in that house there is nothing that you can eat so I ask my mother that what are we going to cook today? And then my mother told me go and tell anybody to help you with anything that we can have to eat. Then I took my bag. At Mitumba I was to see Pastor coming with his car. When Pastor saw me he told me that carry some fruit first and then when I finished he was giving me a packet of milk and some tomatoes and one flour. On that day I was so surprised.”
-written by a 15 year old boy.

“The day I was coming from hospital to home and it was night and I could not see well because it was so dark. As I was on my way home I fell in a hole and I had no one to save me, so I decided to stay there until the help comes to get me from the hole. But the surprising thing the good Samaritan like the one we hear in the Bible had heard me shouting and seeking for help. Help! Help! Help!
He came near the hole and flashed me with a torch and he tried his best to save. The end of one minute he had saved me and I am alive today. I don’t know still for tomorrow.”
-written by a boy in the Standard 7 class

“One day I was very hungry because I did not eat any food. I am very weak so I choose to sleep down on the floor. Another woman came and told me to wake up so that she can buy for me food. When I woke up she buy for me food and brought it for me to eat. I was so happy to see that woman helping me with food and she was not even my friend. I woke up and thanked the woman. From that day I know that neighbours are so good and I love them so much.”
-written by a girl in the Standard 6 class

“When I was coming from school I was not having a pencil to do work and one boy give me a pencil. I thank God because of His beloved.”
-written by a boy in the Standard 4 class

“One day I did not have a pen when the teacher was in class. Everybody was having a pen but me only did not have a pen. The class teacher Mr. Mark was a kind teacher. When he saw me he asked why I am not writing like the others. I told him my problem, that I did not have a pen. Then he asked that do someone have two pens to help me, but nobody answered. Then he have me ten shillings to buy a pen. I told him thank you, also I said thank you to God.”
-written by a boy in the standard 5 class

“One day my neighbour help me when I was in the house and my mother was caning (beating) me but my neighbour helped me. He tell my mother that to cane the child is wrong. That day was on Sunday when we want to come to Church that day. I feel happy and I thank my neighbour but that day was my first day to be helped by my neighbour.”
-written by a boy in the Standard 5 class

“When I was young, my mother send me to the shop. At that time I didn’t know the way to follow. I just started to walk everywhere. I got a good Samaritan and I asked him the right way to follow and he took me where I was supposed to be. When I reached home I thanked my God and that man for God had used him to show me the way. I became very happy that day and from that time I know God more than the other day.”
-written by a boy in the Standard 7 class, who has since been orphaned.

“One day I was a bad boy. I was stealing things of other people but one day they catch me and took me in the prison. When I was in prison I remembered one thing and that is if you trust in God He will help you the way He helped Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego.
When I trusted Him the time I was in prison, He heard my prayers and helped me and I got out of the prison. I thanked Him for what He has done for me. I became a good person and I stop stealing things of people!”
-written by a boy in the Standard 6 class

These are just a sampling of the stories that these children and youth wrote. Reading them put me to shame…to be so incredibly thankful for a pen. To know how it feels to not have food or water, and to see how God answered their prayers. To remember these events, and to thank God for helping them. To use these times in their life to grow closer to God, and know Him more.
So I want to ask you again. How thankful are you? Do you remember the ways God has answered your prayers? How often do we confuse our needs with our wants?

Let’s learn from these kids living in Mitumba slum. Let’s not forget those answers to prayer. Let’s be thankful for the abundance that we have, especially when so many people are struggling to survive.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits,

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

who satisfies you with good

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 103:1-5