2/27/09

Crazy Weird Timing

I've been trudging out to the mailbox for 5 months now. Every day, with kids in tow, in calf-deep snow and in freezing rain.

Normally I never check the mail. Neither does Paul for that matter. And the mail carrier, I'm pretty sure, totally hates us. Cause she stuffs and crams and rearranges and stuffs some more till she gets every last phone bill and pizza coupon to fit. She really is the woman. And we're mail checking delinquents. But anyway, back to why I've been checking religiously.

On September 11th, we received a heart breaker from one of our youth group's sponsor children, Ruth, informing us that her mom had passed away. Within 10 days, our jammin' incredible students pooled together 300 dollars, which is the maximum gift we could give Ruth's family. Ever since then, I've been waiting for a letter.

And we've had letters. Lots of letters from Ruth, in fact. But not that letter. Not that one. Till yesterday.

The kicker? Yesterday was my birthday. I've been waiting 5 months for one letter and I got it on my birthday. Of all days, my birthday. Though I'm not huge on birthdays, there isn't anything I've wanted more than this letter. And I got a picture to boot.

Ruth's family was able to take a special shopping trip to Alto City with the donated money. They bought food and furniture - a bookcase, pots, a kettle, pans, spoons, knives, forks, cups, blankets, a bed-cover, rice, sugar, potatoes, flour, more sugar (I take it she likes sugar - that's our girl), oil, and sneakers for all her siblings.

"When I got your gift, all I could do was cry." Ruth thanks us all over and over and asks God to bless us again and again. It confounds me that she asks God to bless us more when we've already been given riches. Even more amazing is that this girl who has almost nothing has given us so much in her life, her letters, her love for Jesus.

You can't tell me that this was an accident, perchance, crazy luck - that we would receive her letter yesterday. Cause I would say this is the work of a God who takes great delight in His children. A God who quiets with His love. A God who rejoices over us with singing.

By means of a letter from a child in Bolivia.

3 comments:

Brandy said...

That made me cry. I have been wondering about her lately. I had meant to ask you in MOPS if you had heard from her lately. So glad you did. I am pretty sure I had already tod you Happy Birthday on facebook, but Happy Birthday again. So glad you received such a special gift.

Ashley said...

Amazing :)

Kristin said...

isn't God cool? i love it!

 

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