A child who walks barefoot because his family cannot afford to buy him slippers—I see stories like that on TV all time. But It really gives you a different feeling when you see it right before your eyes.

 

 

After breakfast on Monday, we heard a knock on the door. Quite unusual because it was still early and visitors don`t usually come early in the morning. My Mom got the door and said it was the child “who was working to earn money”. I could sense the compassion in her voice so I was curious to see the child. She invited him in and held the dogs as the child walked to our backyard. Mom said the kid is asking to collect the garbage for free. Perhaps to find something he could sell to a junkshop.

 

I was stunned when I saw him. He was neat and his clothes weren`t dirty at all. His hair was neatly trimmed and it seems like his mom is really taking care of him well. But he was so small for an 8-year old and  he had no shoes or slippers to cover his feet. He was walking our garden barefoot. And the grass had died last summer and he was really walking on earth! And of course, he walked on the streets barefoot to get to our house. He would even walk to the junk shop a kilometers away after that.

 

Viola and I looked at each other without saying a word.  I don`t live in a rich community but I`ve never seen a kid walk around here barefoot all my life. In the Philippines, you can get a decent pair of rubber slippers for $.75 or P30. But the kid! He can`t even afford a pair!  And our hearts melted right there.

 

And I thought about how far a little money could go. Sometimes, we think we don`t have much. We think we don`t have the capacity to help others. But in reality, what we`ve got  is enough to cover a child`s bare foot. We think a dollar or our P40 wouldn`t go anywhere but that is enough to keep an 8-year old kid from working for a day.

 

And I think of all the money I`ve spent for things I like but which I really don`t need at all. I sometimes splurge on non-necessities while people around me don`t even have enough for their meals or even just to walk with shoes on.

 

Defining Generosity

Dad said on breakfast today that being generous isn`t giving out of abundance, when you`ve got more than enough; but giving out of what you have right now…with what you can give today.

 

In my heart, I`m really dreaming of “saving” that kid. I even wished to get rich so I could send him to school and help his family. But Dad is right. I don`t need to wait to have more than enough for myself to help.

 

We can help with what we have right now.

 

 

God is Going to Use You

 

Viola was saying, also this morning, that God wants His children to have everything they need. It`s true, isn`t it? And I thought that if I`m feeling this way for the kid, of course,the God who created him would be even more concerned.  But God couldn`t let money rain on their backyard. He would use people to bless the child and his family. And that would be possible if the person God speaks with would obey. If I would obey. If you would obey.

 

That little kid is not the only one in the world. There are many children, many elderly, many sick, homeless people around you.  And they too need help.

 

We are God`s hands and feet in this broken world. And God intends to bless the nations and the people through us. But that would happen if we would open our eyes and our hearts and respond as He speaks to us.

 

I hope you would listen to Him as He speaks to you.

 

I hope we would all do. 

 

 

Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble. The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. Psalms 41: 1-3

 

Photo Credit: –fallingstars  and  jajaalovestumblr on Tumblr,

Adwriter and Yanyin on Flickr, 

and redrubble.com

Encouragement comes in many forms. They could be words written in little colorful notes. Sweet thoughts scribbled on pretty, scented paper. Sometimes, they also come in the form of an action, like a tap on a shoulder or an invitation for ice cream in a lonely, summer night. Often, they could be the music that whispers to your ears as you sit by the windowsill and soft bright rays fall on your face.

 

I think I’m blessed to have received the gift in many different forms.

And I thank the Lord for having sweet people around me who comes along when I really need it the most.

 

I really couldn’t forget that afternoon in October almost three years ago. I felt like dying because this creeping gloominess is finding its way deeper into my heart. I felt like slipping over a cliff and I my heart was panicking. I needed God to catch me quick and I needed a hand to hold me and keep me still.

 

That moment in the campus prayer room, sitting on a red, native mattress surrounded by pillows covered in satin, Ate Kix held my hands tight and prayed with me. She asked me questions I couldn’t even ask myself. Reminded me that God is constantly holding me and I would not need to fear that I would slip away. Her hands that held mine, I felt like they were God’s hands touching me.  And I knew that God holds and stills my shaking hands.

Ate means older sister in Filipino.

That same day, my Kuya Mark came to the prayer room and heard that I was sad. He was quick to remember that ice cream makes a tearful heart remember sunshine and the brightest of days. So he asked me if I would like to go out for ice cream after class and bring with me my friends, whoever would love to come along. And then, a few minutes later, there were already four or five of us for him to treat for ice cream.

Kuya means older brother in Filipino

 

It wasn’t something fancy. But because of that, I wouldn’t forget about McDonalds ever. That’s where I learned that even in tears you could still choose to laugh. You could still find a way to giggle. {Well, I didn’t giggle that day. Kuya Mark and I laughed at Onah and Ava because they were giggling and we laughed even more because we agreed that as people grow older, people don’t giggle like that anymore.} It was really a lovely day. One of the loveliest days I had in my life.

 

If you would ask me about encouragement, I would excitedly tell you what happened on that teary, school day in October. I really don’t have any words to describe what encouragement is like. I don’t know how to describe them, truthfully. I can only tell how they made my heart feel when I was giving up. I can only tell  the stories and how they happen.

 

Encouragement comes to life when you hold a hand who fears. When you pray with someone’s whose got a troubled heart. When you care to make other people smile and wipe away their tears. Encouragement happens when you let a person know that her heart is valuable and her tears are counted. When you make her feel she’s loved because you chose to become God’s hands and feet.

 

Because Kuya Mark and Ate Kix encouraged me that day, I learned many things about God I never knew before. He {Jesus} really do care about my fears and my tears. And He wants to take me out for my favorite ice cream.

 

I am the Cathy you know today because of these two people who built me up and lifted me up to Lord. And they are just two of the many people who became the hands of the Lord who hold me tight in this broken world. People who lend me their ears and their hankies, leave me colorful notes, treat me for Zagu and Pearl Shakes and feed me all kinds of “happy” food you could ever think of…and the people who listened, fell on their knees and prayed so hard for me.

 

You know who you are.

 

I love you all and I’ll be forever grateful.

 

I wish I can mention you all.

 

But encourage one another day after day,

as long as it is still called “Today”….

Hebrews 3:13

 

P.S. For those who were wondering why I so love ice cream, you know now why. Do you also happen to love something because someone encouraged you though it? Or are there people whom you can’t forget because they gave courage to your heart so well?

 

I would also love to hear…

I really think it`s already summer in Manila. I left this morning to submit a video edit and you wouldn`t believe how hot it is outside! It actually feels like April, to think that February had just started!

 

Since there isn`t anything we could do about that… I might as well enjoy. Summer is beautiful gift from God, isn`t it? I know many of you are looking forward to summer because it is really cold in countries with winter.  But for the past few years, it hadn`t gone really cold here in Manila even when it`s supposed to be cool months. Except this year, of course. So I was just wishing it would last a little longer. Oh how I love sleeping with blankets! It feels bad that I would have to put away cold-weather clothes before I even got to wear most of them.

 

Now enough of my frustrations with the weather. I really wanted to share what I saw on my way home for Kuya Noy`s Production House this afternoon. 

From the prod house, I rode a jeep (the common public transport in the PI) and the route passes by a public elementary school and high school. Since it`s lunch time, kids are already going home and so the almost-empty jeep I was riding instantly got filled.

 

That little girl who sat beside me really touched my heart. She was small and cute and had black hair which curls at the ends. I overheard her discreetly calling her two sisters who were sitting beside the driver. The little girl was so excited about the little frosties that were in her sister`s bag, which are sold on sidewalks for a peso or $0.025. The older girl was quite funny since she chose which was biggest before handing the smaller ones to her sisters. I watched them as they happily enjoyed the sweet treat. And you could see in their eyes and on the way they ate it, that they`re actually wishing for more, but that`s just what they can afford. And it really broke my heart.

 

Almost everyday, I think only about myself. How to earn more. How to fulfill my dreams. How to do well in the things that I do. How to be faithful in my ministry. I`m living a really sheltered life, actually…and I  do forget about other people.

 

I do forget about kids who don`t have enough. I forget that “the world” I am living now is just a part of a big reality, that there are people who needs to be helped, to be hugged, to be loved.

 

And I remember that the world does not revolve around me. My dreams and life isn`t the only thing that matters. The truth is, they appear selfish when brought beside the smiles of the little girls on the jeep this afternoon.

 

And I remember

what it means

to really love and obey Christ.

 

 

²⁰The young man said, "I've done all that. What's left?"

²¹"If you want to give it all you've got," Jesus replied, "go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me."

Matthew 19:20-21

 

365 DAYS OF LOVE: Today, I regret not being able to help the girls in any way… But I pray for them that they would know about Jesus` love and that they will have a good life. And I hope I`m gonna meet them again sometime.

Until then, I will open my heart and my hands to other little girls and boys and will not be afraid to show love. Perhaps, I will carry with me treats so when I get to meet them (and others) again.