On this particular outing our entire team was there. We all needed to get different things. My goal was to get in and out as quickly as possible, and thankfully I was able to. The second we got through the line the guys were waiting outside for us. As soon as we were all done we headed to walk towards a restaurant that we liked to frequent. It's about 3 or 4 blocks from the market.
I was twoards the front of our group but as I glanced back I noticed a kid about 10-11 was barefoot, ragged, and he kept pointing to his stomach and holding his hand out as we walked. He was relentless. There are indeed places for kids to go and get food that the government has set up in this particular town we are in. One of our teammates told him that, explained the situation, etc. It made sense.
Until he came to me. Secretly I was thankful he was bugging my other teammates because I knew I wouldn't have the heart to tell him no. Did I have money to help him? Yes. Could I afford it? Yes.
We filed in to the restaurant. I looked abck and saw really mean security guards with batons trying to swat him away from the restaurant. These guards are men I fear. I'm 26. If I'm scared or become uneasy to walk by these scary men, imagine what a 10 year old felt as they were trying to SWAT him away as their arms were extended with that baton.
How was I supposed to go on my merry way and enjoy a big meal to celebrate the end of a successful ministry month while he was standing outside begging?
I get that I can't save or help or feed everyone. I really get it. It's awful. I'm not telling this story to make me look good, but I'm telling it to share that you REALLY can change the world one person at a time. It only cost me 50 Shillings. There's 85 shillings to 1 dollar, you do the math.
I pulled the kid aside on the curb. I told the guys with batons that he was with me ,the masungu. I don't entirely know that he spoke english since he was using hand gestures. I don't really know that he was going to use that money for food. I really don't know. But I took him away from the restaurant on to the curb, pulled out 50 shillings in coins and said "you put this in your pocket. You use this for food. You don't give this to anyone else." He said he understood and then I turned and went and joined my team.
Looking back….. I could have invited this kid to dinner with me or to eat my dinner alone with him on the sidewalk. Who knows. It woudl have been intersting to eat dinner with him. Maybe I could have said something to him that made a difference. Maybe I could have offered him hope. Maybe if I tried hard enough I could have even worked something out for him to go to our ministry location. Who knows.
This is one of the times on the Race where I really think I messed up. I could have done something and I didn't. But I do know for next time that I CAN make a difference one person at a time. I can't feed them all but I gotta start somewhere!
Financial Update
I need about 2,000 before November 1st or they WILL send me home from Nairobi. I really don't want to be back home this weekend. Please donate if you can! Every little bit helps for the Kingdom Journey!
