One night, about four weeks ago, I was uploading photos to my Facebook profile of the Re-birth Romania outreach way into the early hours of the morning. Seeing the pictures stirred memories in my mind. Way into the following day I reflected on these thoughts and realised just how much I have to be thankful for.
Just earlier that night, I’d been complaining of how cold our house was because in sunny South Africa we don’t have double-glazing on our windows like they do in Europe. To us it was quite chilly, with the winter temperature dropping to around zero that night. But God reminded me of the families in Dallas, the gypsy community we’d spent the previous week in helping to build houses. He reminded me of the Romanian winters where temperatures drop to negative 25 Celcius. And He reminded me that these gypsies too have single glazing in their homes. And they don’t have electricity to enjoy the comforts of heaters or electric blankets, or hot showers when they get cold. I was humbled, and so and thankful for all that God has provided for my family and I.
My thoughts drifted to the nearly 600 emails – half of them probably junk mail – that I needed to sift though after having been away from work for a month. Once again, God reminded me of the men, women and children in Dallas who have to rummage through hundreds of pieces of garbage every day in heat of over 40 degrees C, or in cold up to negative 25, to find recyclable items so they can make enough to buy food for the day for their families. Again, I was humbled and thankful for my temperature-controlled office, my wonderful boss and colleagues, and a healthy paycheque at the end of every month. And I was thankful for God’s goodness and provision in my life.
Let me challenge you, as I was challenged. Do you recognise the blessings of God in your life? Are you truly thankful for them? And are you doing something to make a difference in the lives of those who don’t seem to have much to rejoice about?
Yes, I know there are too many needs in the world for us to meet them all, but we can still make a difference, even if it’s just in one family’s life – we did! So don’t get discouraged by all the needs in the world, rather make of point of being the difference each day.
Re-birth Romania Team: (Back) Samuel,
(Front) Paiivi, Marion, Noel, Tiia, Kyle, Christo, Sara
(Front) Paiivi, Marion, Noel, Tiia, Kyle, Christo, Sara
From South Africa thinking about Romania with love
Marion
Lamentations 3v22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
