"My baby needs milk"

As Sue said in her last entry...we are still in Rwanda. Somehow our tickets got issued for the wrong day and so we spent last night in Kigali trying to get me over my second bout with some kind of African bug. I am much better today and ready for the trip home. So I thought I would share a bit before turning off the computer.

Since my last entry we traveled north to a reconciliation village, met with Bishop John, took wonderful photos of the gorillas, said goodbye to our friends at Prison Fellowship, learned about a child being named after me, and camped out here for the night. What I would like to recall with you is an interchange at the village.

I am kind of a born politician. When I go to these villages I go around and meet everyone, shaking their hands, and exchanging a bit with them. As I was doing that I found myself talking to a very nice lady who had a three month old child resting on her back attached with a shawl. Her name was Sarah. She spoke perfect English and translated a bit for me. I have several photos of she and her child. Eventually she explained her husband was away somewhere and she had nothing. She finally said something to the effect she needed money to buy porridge so she could feed herself and produce milk for her baby. I have to confess my skin is tough when it comes to panhandlers. I found myself almost walking away from her with a comment like. "have a nice life". I did give her some money...and now I think of the exchange with a real sense of joy.

I wonder if there is a lesson for me to learn about generosity. It is perhaps not the object of the giving I need to focus upon but rather my personal relationship with the God who gave me what I have. Anyone who is interested...I intend to write one last entry after arriving home. God bless.


dlm