If you ever want to feel humbled, spend some time with a child. The more I am around children all over the world, the more I realize that they understand the world better than me. Before they turn into teenagers and think they know everything…I actually think they may know everything important. I have several degrees and spent more time in school than I want to currenty think about, but in the past 8 months I have learned more from the children I have interacted with than I did from any professor.
What brought about this revelation happened at a carepoint in the middle of Swaziland. Our ministry here is split between manual labor at a missionary compound and taking care of children at carepoints around the rural areas. At these carepoints, we help feed the children, sing with them, teach them Bible stories and play with them. There is much we could say about these children that both break our hearts and give us great hope. However, this story centers around one little girl in particular. She was probably three years old and we met her at the carepoint for preschoolers.
I wish I could tell you this little girl's name, but she didn't speak any English. For purposes of this blog I am going to call her Baby Grace. A dirty dress and snotty nose made her fit in with all the other children. We had seen her for most of the day and noticed her sweet personality. However, when the children were fed she changed my outlook on love and sacrifice.
I want to give a brief explanation of the children at these carepoints. Hannah aptly called them the forgotten children. Fifteen to twenty preschoolers toddled into the carepoints mostly on their own. Older preschoolers brought the younger ones. All were filthy and they were unbelievably independent. Can you image a 3, 4 or 5 year old walking alone with their younger sibling from their house to a carepoint a mile down the road to get food? These children do it every day. We were informed that many times the bowl of rice and beans are the children's only meal of the day. We heard stories of Monday carepoints being the hardest to attend because some of the children have not eaten since Saturday when the carepoints serve their last meal of the week. Notwithstanding this, the children are happy and full of life. They laugh and love as hard as any preschooler I have ever been around.
Now back to the little girl. While we were playing with the children, the “Go gos” or grandmothers that feed the children yelled that the food was done. Hannah helped scoop out the rice while I was with the children washing their hands. After all the children had their plates of rice and beans, the go gos wanted us to try the food. We got one plate between the three missionaries that were there. (side note: The rice and beans were excellent. It made me feel good to know the food the children were getting both filled them up and tasted wonderful).
As we walked over to sit with the children, I held the plate of food leaving Hannah without a plate in her hands. I looked down and saw a look of despair on Baby Grace's face. She was intently studying Hannah. I could see the wheels turning behind her eyes. All of a sudden she caught Hannah's attention with a soft noise. As Hannah looked down, Baby Grace reached into her plate and scooped up a big handful of rice and beans. She lifted her hand up and offered it to Hannah. In her eyes, we could see her concern that Hannah didn't have any food and she was willing to share her only meal with a stranger she had just met.
That single act of selflessness made me check my heart. Immediately, I realized what a sacrifice this little one was willing to make for somebody she didn't even know. In that moment, I began to see all the times I had chosen otherwise. I honestly considered what I would have done had I been hungry and seen somebody without a plate of food. I can say I didn't like the answer that came to my head.
The Bible says, “Let the little children come to Me and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” I caught a glimpse of what Jesus was talking about in this scripture in the form of Baby Grace. I will never forget what true sacrifice looks like. I have seen it perfected in the actions of a little child.
Baby Grace.
