I love using baby wipes and often wish our girls had the means to buy them to help keep their kids nice and clean... but it would be crazy and irresponsible to buy wipes when they struggle to:
- put basic food on the table (if they have a table)
- have bus fares to come to El Jordán
- pay their rent
- pay for a school book... or...
- take their kid to the doctor...
For me, wipes are “special”... I usually rip them into two or more (depending on the quality)... How do you think that I felt when I opened a gift that one of our girls gave Marlee... and found a package of wipes!?! and a little handmade pink crocheted purse...
One package of wipes could buy :
- 40 pieces of bread
- 4 liters of milk
- 22 bus fares
- a couple notebooks, a pen and pencil for school
- or maybe enough to pay a month’s water bill...
The little crocheted purse, if Tania had sold her work instead of giving it away, would have given her the same amount of money, buying a few basic necessities for her kids...
With so many pressing needs in her own life, Tania gave something “special” to Marlee... who in comparison has be blessed with SO much... Wow... how humbling, touching, difficult to receive...
A few days later I had a similar experience... Do you remember Giovanna? (diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor a year ago... and given 6 months to a year to live...) She had become a bit negative towards us, God and His Word... we thought it might be side effects from the tumor... After that, we didn’t hear from her for months. She travelled to another city... At Christmas I found her back in Santa Cruz in the cancer clinic – unable to walk, talk or respond... Since January she has been at home where her dad takes care of her 24 hours a day... I visited her once at her house (room) but she wasn’t doing well... Months went by... and next time I drove by, their rooms were all locked up... No one answered the door...
When I happened to be across town a couple weeks ago, I stopped by again... A bed pan outside Giovanna’s room gave me hope that she was still alive... I thought to myself... “I should have brought some apples...”
Giovanna, amazingly, is doing better than she has for months... she can’t stand up or see... but her mind is clear... she lives in pain but it isn’t as excruciating as it has been... When I walked in the room there was a lady reading her the Bible... Giovanna’s attitude has changed completely... There isn’t a night that goes by when she doesn’t pray for Marco, Keiden and I, El Jordán, the people who have helped her (you know who you are!) and those caught in drugs and the streets in our city...
She wanted to know where a certain verse was... it was in Psalm 91... “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge... For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands...“ It was beautiful to hear her repeating by memory almost the whole chapter as I read it...
Marlee laid on the bed... Giovanna enjoyed feeling her soft hands and face... Keiden got bored of playing with the one marble he brought with him... and he went outside to look at their dog and the lemon tree... I overheard the dad say, “Do you want some lemons?” I told him not to worry... but we left with a plastic bag... when I opened it up later I found 2 little apples, a kiwi and a few tangerines mixed in with the lemons...
Again, my eyes got watery, my heart tightened... How could I accept this generosity when I know they stretch the dad’s very small government pension to daily buy painkillers and healthy foods for Giovanna?
The Lord said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” There are times like these I’d rather not receive... but I can’t rob others of the blessing of giving! I pray that God blesses Tania and Giovanna... providing their daily needs... and filling their hearts with peace and joy in the midst of struggle... (...and the next time I go to Giovanna’s I’ll plan better and take a nice bag of fruit!)
Thank you so, so much to each one of you who give so that we can serve here... we love you and appreciate you... May God show Himself faithful in your lives... and be answering your prayers and needs as well...
MAY GOD BLESS YOU!!!
Lots of love, from Corina... (for Marco, Keiden and little Marlee too)