Jesus’ kids!
May 2007 Volume 10, Number 5
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9
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Jesus’ kids! May 2007 Volume 10, Number 5 "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9 |
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Jesus went to His cross and suffered agony once for us willingly. The Bible says, “. . . they crucify . . . the Son of God afresh.” (Hebrews 6:6) I often wonder if Jesus continues to agonize over us somewhat as a mother does for her children. I sit down with the congregation on Sunday morning and watch the Betikara lambs troop in on their way to Bible class. They are 34 children, well dressed and all wearing shoes. Many of the local children within the congregation come to worship without shoes even in the middle of winter. The Betikara lambs are clean and for the most part, they glow with health. Their hair and skin shine. There is a spring in their step, and they smile broadly. They are quick to become involved in suggested activities, and they laugh with gusto. The lambs receive a good diet daily and occasional treats. They have more clothing than my own children do. They have a constant supply of soap, toothpaste, and medicine (necessities that most Malagasy often do without). They have the advantage of books and schooling, and they receive extra help with academics from teachers specially hired to assist them. Above all, the lambs experience the blessing of daily devotional, Bible teaching, and being raised in the Lord. Still, I often find myself wondering if we are doing enough, and I wonder if Jesus ever asks Himself if he did enough.
Elisa came to
us when she was five years old and she is now fourteen. At five years old,
she was my favorite lamb to hug and at fourteen, she is still my favorite
lamb to hug. But I have only two arms and my time with the lambs is so
limited. We have a whole flock of new little lambs and I cannot seem to
hug them all as much as I hugged Elisa when she was little. I ask myself,
“Are we doing enough?”
Fetra has been with us for longer than Elisa has. He was a ball of energy and mischief when he was little and recently his mischief surfaced again in a school incident. Are we doing enough?
Andry is a child we would describe as one who gets all the bad breaks. Malagasy would describe him as cursed. Several years ago, a car struck him as he stood on a sidewalk in town. He has never been quite healthy since, and we agonize over the lack of good medical care on this island to meet his needs. Are we doing enough?
Robert is the
oldest of our lambs. He’s twenty years old this year and still a year away
from high school graduation (IF he can pass the big test). Robert very
much looks to us for guidance as he journeys towards adulthood. He is a
lovely child in spirit and in action, but I worry about his ability to
get a job that can support him as an adult within this poor island society.
Am I doing enough?
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If you would like to help with a monetary donation, write your check out to BETIKARA and send it to: Indiana Church of Christ
“He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him
for what he has done.”
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