I’ve written a little before about the King family and the orphanage they run in South Africa. If you haven’t read my previous blog, you may want to do that now, it will give you a little back ground on the story I’m about to share with you. Hannah shared this story with us at dinner one evening and I simply have not been able to forget about it, so I thought it was time to share it with all of you.
?The first Christmas after Hannah’s family opened their home and took in an abandoned child, she was prepared to celebrate frugally but her 10-year-old heart was still broken when she realized that the recent changes would mean no gifts at all. She recalls feeling heartbroken but also very clearly felt the Holy Spirit asking her “Is that what Christmas really about?”.
How convicting. Hannah took this message in stride. I couldn’t help but wonder how a 10-year-old Brenna would have responded in the same situation.
? The Kings Children’s Home grew over the next few years and the family continued to cut back so they could serve as many children as possible. You can only imagine their surprise when one Christmas, after attending church, her family came home to find gifts wrapped under the tree! Personalized gifts for everyone in their large family. Hannah told us it was such a treat that she remembers crying when she opened her world map….and then there was a knock at the door.
?An officer walked in carrying a bundle of blankets, not an uncommon occurrence in the King home, but this bundle was special. Earlier that Christmas morning, the neighbors alerted authorities to cries coming from a nearby shack. Officers walked in to find an abandoned baby and just a few burnt out candles on the floor. This sweet baby had been abandoned for so long that her nose and fingers had been eaten by rats. My stomach ties in knots typing that sentence. Can you even imagine?
Almost 4 years later and Baby Lee is alive and HAPPY! I have seen pictures and her smile, I’m sure, could light up a room. Unfortunately, I cannot share her picture for legal reasons, but trust me she is flourishing in her new home. A well-known plastic surgeon has already committed to do perform reconstructive surgery when she gets older.
?With tears in her eyes, Hannah told us how that Christmas is still the best Christmas she has ever experienced. Not because of the gifts, but because of the gift of Baby Lee. A bleeding baby with open wounds on her face and hands that had little to no hope of survival. But she did, she survived because the King family lived frugally and intentionally in order to move to action when the Lord called them to.
?At the end of this story I was sad, in shock, moved… but I was also embarrassed. My first thought was “Hannah can never come to my house, I would be embarrassed for her to see the amount of ‘stuff’ that I have.”. Hannah tried to take some of that shame away and told us about her recent trip to Target where she stood in awe at the number of options available while trying to replace her one pair of leggings. She said it really hit her then that we, as Americans, truly do not understand our privilege. It is not our fault that we don’t know… but when we become aware of that privilege, it is our responsibility to recognize it and to educate others.
?I don’t want to feel shame for a moment, I want to do something. I have felt overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in my home. Even more so over the past week as I collected other people’s things for a fundraiser garage sale. I was encouraging people and praying that they would come buy all these things I accumulated; while simultaneously wanting to burn it all down. Hannah’s words stuck with me, “live simply so that others may simply live”. That is how I want to live. I don’t know what that looks like yet. I don’t think we need to sell everything and live in a tent, but we need to be intentional about living a simple but profound life.
