I could make this blog about me and how I’m feeling, about the amount of money I need to raise in the next 20 hours. But I don’t want to talk about the money I need. Actually, I want to talk about the money I don’t need.
Let’s say I don’t make my goal. I go home. I get to see my family. I get to take a hot bath, drive my own car wherever I want to go, sleep in my own bed. I’ll get a job and I’ll have money to buy my own food at one of the dozens of grocery stores in my town. I’ll spend time with my friends and I’ll go back to life as it was before. This journey I’ve been on has changed who I am as a person, I’ve grown in many areas and I’m a better person because of it. I’m thankful. But my life hasn’t changed. Home hasn’t changed and I look forward to going home, whether it is now or later.
But let’s talk about the person who needs money, but doesn’t get it. There’s an orphanage in Thailand known as The Forgotten Foundation. The name says it all. They don’t get money, they don’t get love; they get overlooked, forgotten. The children there don’t have families, they have no home. The orphanage they stay at is dirty and falling apart, they don’t have working toilets let alone a place to take hot baths. Their baths consist of the freezing cold mountain water they collect into buckets. They sleep on the floor. These children don’t know if they’ll get fed enough each day, most days they aren’t. It’s amazing though what these children do have. Joy. Smiles that stretch to the sides of their faces. Why? I don’t know. They aren’t brought up knowing who Jesus is. They may have never even heard his name. But I think they still encounter him regardless. I think they see the faithfulness of God even though they might not understand it. They have hope going into each day, and each night I only imagine them being thankful for life. I think most of us have lost sight of that perspective; being thankful for just being alive.
Because of that, I can’t justify asking for your money anymore. Yes, I need it in order to stay, and yes I want to stay. I believe in what the World Race is and what we’re doing, and if God wants me to continue than he’ll lead the right people to give. That’s his faithfulness. He gives us what we need in his time, no sooner, no later. I will ask if you give to anything give to this orphanage, and if not this one than another. There are so many other people in the world who need things more than I do. If God wants me home, I’ll go home, and if he wants me to stay, then honestly I’m not too worried about whether I’ll make it or not.
God bless you and I wish you a very happy New Year.
