While feeling philosophical, I've decided to blog about actual content, rather than just post pictures of my son, even though I know that's what most of you get on here to see anyway.
:)
That being said, we received a package tonight from Luvuyo (our sponsored child through World Vision, who lives in South Africa). Darrin and I decided to sponsor him after our church did a 6 week series on the book, "The Hole in the Gospel," which was written by World Vision's CEO....I've always been skeptical to involve myself in these organizations, mistrusting as I am. I did some research and it is a wonderful organization. The monthly sponsorship is $35 and about $32 of that goes directly to the child. We chose Luvuyo because he was born on the same day as Hudson, 4 years earlier. He turned 5 this year and for his birthday, we sent a cash donation. 100% of the monetary gift went to him and his family. Tonight, we read the letter from him (written by the missionary assigned to him) and we received pictures of him and his grandmother next to the items they had purchased.
I pray for Luvuyo and when I do, I have to admit, I don't always know what to pray for. For his birthday, I prayed that this gift would bring him as many physical items as possible that would make his (and his family's) life better for as long as possible. I prayed that he would get cake (or some sort of birthday treat that he doesn't usually get)....I prayed that he would get a toy (or something that is not pure necessity). In his letter, he thanks me (and some things are lost in translation, but that makes it even sweeter) and he goes on to list that he "brought the following things: cream cake, 2l sunfoil, eggs, 12.5 kg sask flour, sunlight powder, tea bags, 2 kg meat, 10kg sugar, energade bottle juice, potatoes, black shoes, white shirt, gold shirt, grey trouser, sport shoes, school belts, boys jacket, boy tracktop, boys grey socks, bag, 2l coocee, corn flakes, 3 loaf bread, bonnita long life and meal."
The first picture shows him looking directly at the camera, holding his cake, standing next to the rest of his loot, small, open-mouthed smile that looks like he knows more than he should after only 5 years on this earth.
The second picture shows him on the same side of his loot-pile with his grandmother on the other side (he is being raised by his grandmother because his mother died of AIDS and his father was never involved). His grandmother stands at attention looking upward, as if she's unsure of what to do in front of a camera.
Now...I'm not posting the events of Luvuyo's birthday gift to gratify my own need that is indeed met by sponsoring him...shamefully, this process does, in fact, meet a need in me as well. In fact, I sometimes feel guilty for feeling good that we are sponsoring him in the first place. For feeling good about anything. I guess I'm blogging because I opened this package after coming home at 9pm from a 7 hour car trip, exhausted, with a screaming child who is ready for bed. I came home, feeling negative and abused by this car ride, to my 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1700 square foot house to give my son a bath in a bathtub with warm running water and put him to bed in his crib, in his very own room. I then unpacked my suitcase and sorted clothes. I did laundry in my washer and dryer....and for some reason, tonight, it didn't bother me that my washer and dryer is in the garage and not in the house like it should be. Like most newer, shinier houses' laundry rooms are. I was just so thankful that I have my home. That I have my husband. That I have my amazing, beautiful son. That I have everything I have and that I was born to the family I was born to and in the circumstances that were dealt me.
I'm amazed at what little it takes to do so much for one other life in another world so far away. I pray that we can continue to do more. I pray for Luvuyo and I hope that his life is better by being connected to us in some way. I know that my life is better, being connected to him.
I'm a little teary :) Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDelete