With so much negativity in the world, do you ever stop and think about how good people are? How MANY good people there are? That is one of the biggest benefits of this new direction my life has taken. I get to experience the goodness of people. Not just the ones who are in the trenches giving their lives daily to lift up the sick, the poor, the abandoned. But also the people who read or hear about a problem and then actually DO something about it. They contribute, donate, think of solutions, get involved, spread the word, change their behavior, write to encourage, write to persuade. They don’t say, gee that’s too bad but what can I do about it?
I think anyone who sees a child suffering has some visceral gut reaction, we all feel something. Horror, disgust, shock, pain, sadness, injustice, anger, pity, empathy, compassion. We all want to make it stop, stop the suffering. But how many act on that feeling?
A LOT!!
512 blankets donated in 6 days.
A friend hearing about our orphan programs and dropping off over 800 bags of chips in the lobby of AFnetAid.
My physio- therapist using her spare time to build puppets and sets and then put on shows for the orphans.
A friend coming to visit bringing dental and medical supplies because her dentist and doctor asked if they could help when they heard where she was going.
My friend’s nine year old son donating all his balls, even the ones he plays with all the time, because it was just too sad that little boys in Africa play with balls made out of garbage.
I think the vast majority of people act when given a chance. Before this job, I think I would have said differently. And it is the compassion and generosity of this huge mass of people that inspires me to keep plugging away day after day in the face of what seems like overwhelming suffering. If time after time, people respond and do what they can in the moment, who am I not to do what I can right here right now?
I get the joy of being a part of events like the blanket drive, seeing people back home respond, thrilling as the numbers go up each day. I get the joy of being there to hand out the blankets and watch the children’s faces light up as they wrap fuzzy blankets around them on a cold wintery day.
When I am with the children, I am happy. Sometimes they are so serious, but you can easily get them to smile and laugh and giggle – the most beautiful sound on the planet. I take pictures of them with their blankets and I feel like I have accomplished something today. I go back to the office and I am loading the pictures on to the computer to share with you. I smile at their smiling faces and zoom in. And then I start to cry. Looking down I see their shoes. How could I not have noticed their shoes when I was there? They are dusty, raggedy, worn thin. Their little toes are sticking out of their shoes.
I don’t want to stop noticing. I don’t want to stop doing. Whatever little thing I can do.
Elsabe noticed and did. Elsabe works at Afnet too and went on the blanket delivery last time. After delivering to this family I just described, she called the little girl over to the van and handed her a turtleneck sweater. Elsabe had been wearing a lovely blue soft-looking turtleneck under her shirt and had taken it off and given it to the little girl. I had just complemented her on it that morning. At our daily staff meeting, I said in front of everyone, “I love your turtleneck”. They all looked at me strangely and she looked hurt. After an awkward moment, I realized I better explain. “That shirt that goes up your neck, we call that a turtleneck.” She looked relieved. They don’t call it that here so basically I was insulting her neck. But that’s not why she gave it away. She did everything she could in the moment when she saw that little girl living in a tin shack without warm clothes.
People like Elsabe, people like my physio, people like you who keep asking “what can I do to help?", inspire me.
I think anyone who sees a child suffering has some visceral gut reaction, we all feel something. Horror, disgust, shock, pain, sadness, injustice, anger, pity, empathy, compassion. We all want to make it stop, stop the suffering. But how many act on that feeling?
A LOT!!
512 blankets donated in 6 days.
A friend hearing about our orphan programs and dropping off over 800 bags of chips in the lobby of AFnetAid.
My physio- therapist using her spare time to build puppets and sets and then put on shows for the orphans.
A friend coming to visit bringing dental and medical supplies because her dentist and doctor asked if they could help when they heard where she was going.
My friend’s nine year old son donating all his balls, even the ones he plays with all the time, because it was just too sad that little boys in Africa play with balls made out of garbage.
I think the vast majority of people act when given a chance. Before this job, I think I would have said differently. And it is the compassion and generosity of this huge mass of people that inspires me to keep plugging away day after day in the face of what seems like overwhelming suffering. If time after time, people respond and do what they can in the moment, who am I not to do what I can right here right now?
I get the joy of being a part of events like the blanket drive, seeing people back home respond, thrilling as the numbers go up each day. I get the joy of being there to hand out the blankets and watch the children’s faces light up as they wrap fuzzy blankets around them on a cold wintery day.
When I am with the children, I am happy. Sometimes they are so serious, but you can easily get them to smile and laugh and giggle – the most beautiful sound on the planet. I take pictures of them with their blankets and I feel like I have accomplished something today. I go back to the office and I am loading the pictures on to the computer to share with you. I smile at their smiling faces and zoom in. And then I start to cry. Looking down I see their shoes. How could I not have noticed their shoes when I was there? They are dusty, raggedy, worn thin. Their little toes are sticking out of their shoes.
I don’t want to stop noticing. I don’t want to stop doing. Whatever little thing I can do.
Elsabe noticed and did. Elsabe works at Afnet too and went on the blanket delivery last time. After delivering to this family I just described, she called the little girl over to the van and handed her a turtleneck sweater. Elsabe had been wearing a lovely blue soft-looking turtleneck under her shirt and had taken it off and given it to the little girl. I had just complemented her on it that morning. At our daily staff meeting, I said in front of everyone, “I love your turtleneck”. They all looked at me strangely and she looked hurt. After an awkward moment, I realized I better explain. “That shirt that goes up your neck, we call that a turtleneck.” She looked relieved. They don’t call it that here so basically I was insulting her neck. But that’s not why she gave it away. She did everything she could in the moment when she saw that little girl living in a tin shack without warm clothes.
People like Elsabe, people like my physio, people like you who keep asking “what can I do to help?", inspire me.
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI Love that story, who would have thought turtle neck could have two meanings?
Keep writing your blogs I am so thankful that God has chosen you to be a part of Afnet.
He sure knows what He is doing.
Love to you Keep Happy & warm
Diana