helping

It's always been a pet peeve of mine - when parents tell their children to eat up their food, because children in other parts of the world are starving or malnourished. This does not help the hungry children at all, and privileged children are de-sensitised to the needs of those not as fortunate as themselves through this constant well-meaning but totally misplaced reminder.

Instead, children should be encouraged to help others in practical and real ways - contributing parts of their savings, giving their toys (and not always old ones), even thinking of creative ways to raise funds. When they are older, they then would continue to help, having learnt from young to have consideration for others' needs.

It's a privilege to help others, and the bible commands us to be "open-handed" to the poor, so rather than just pay lip service, we should act on it.

I'm not boasting about or romanticising what i've done... i mean it's just a small part to play when you think of the great need "out there", as well as the great contribution by generous philanthropists who build schools, clinics, roads, orphanages, etc.

The reason i'm writing this is because i've just received a letter informing me the child i've been supporting through a certain organisation for the last 7 years (at least) is finally self-supporting, and the place the child lives in - the whole developmental area - is now self-reliant. Praise God!!

The next phase for me, this organisation tells me, is to support another child from another developmental area in another country. I'm so excited about this. The amazing thing is that i've been to the very place the child is from eight years ago. The child would have been only a toddler then... and the place is huge - 63 villages... so i don't think we've met.

But I've met the people there. They are generous even in their need. Not too proud to admit they need help. Diligent. Warm. Vibrant and full of life! I remember the mayor and the governor - so gracious. I remember that when i brought my school kids to help paint a school building (single storey), and build a clinic in that place, they were so excited to see a particular caged wild boar they visited it every day. And the people there were amused that we'd never seen a wild boar, or the chickens and little chicks that run around in their backyards up close before...

My school kids were impacted by their visit. i heard that some of them planned another trip a couple of years later with the same organisation but to a different place. I'd like to think i made a little bit of an impact in their lives through introducing them to a world different from our own. And they enjoyed that world - the people, the place, the simplicity. They discovered love and humanity there. It warmed my heart to know they wanted to contribute.

God is good...what good memories!

PS. i'm not an expert in helping the less fortunate, and what i write is not the final word on how to help them. I'm doing my part - a very small part, and i was just reminiscing...