Remember when I went to the AIDS hospital in Swazi? Well that day, two of my teammates were burdened with specific individuals – Katey’s heart went out to a little boy, and Cricket’s heart longed to serve a mother of one of the little children.
Katey’s little boy did not have parents or grandparents. He was all alone in his room. He actually had a room—a blessing! Yet the masks that were worn around him hinted that this was also probably for a reason. Katey noted that the boy did not have a pillow. This minor possession can be so comforting!
At the hospital, a parent (or older kid in some cases) is required to stay with the child all the time—spending the night in the hospital, without a bed or any hospital-provided items. They sleep on blankets on the floor next to the child. While ministering to the kids, Cricket noticed that one of the mothers was sleeping on the cold, tiled floor without any blankets! Cricket’s mission: Buy the mother a warm blanket. After all, it’s winter in Swaziland. And those tiles are painfully cold.
Before I left Minnesota, USA, my former employer HLB Tautges Redpath, Ltd. (an accounting firm in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area) provided some funding to directly provide for needs that arise for the people around the world that have so little. So after prayer & consideration, the pillow and blanket for those in the AIDS hospital became the first purchases out the of the HLB Tautges Redpath, Ltd. Fund.
The afternoon of our team hospital visit, Katey, Cricket & I went to the market. We found the perfect big blue pillow for ‘Katey’s boy’, and a warm wool blanket for ‘Cricket’s mother.’ (And I must add, the prices were unbelievably inexpensive since they were direct purchases.) As nurses in the US, Katey and Cricket found their nitche at the hospital, and were able to go back to the hospital the next day with another team. The gifts from HLBTR via Katey & Cricket were welcomed with warm smiles and filled hearts. By meeting these needs, Katey & Cricket were able to share the love of Christ with those hurting in Swaziland.
THANK YOU to HLB Tautges Redpath, Ltd. And
praise God with me for being able to provide such simple, important needs for two more families in Africa.
When the Son of Man comes in His glory…then the King will say… “Come,…For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Then the righteous will answer Him saying, “When…” And the King will answer them, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers you did it to me.” Matthew 25:31-46
