I have a question for you? Have you ever started kicking a rock while taking a walk, and having a goal to kick that same one all the way home? Think about that for a second…
We had just made our last turn driving before we would arrive at the church we would be speaking at on sunday morning. About 10 feet ahead of us was a boy, probably around 10 years old. He was kicking a tin can around, which I would assume in his eyes was his soccer ball. He was doing those crazy moves with it. You know the one where you go from foot to foot, trying to make something cool happen.
Lets rewind a bit. This isn’t the first time on the race I’ve seen simple items that have been turned into toys that the kids use around here.
In Zambia around 10 kids were gathered around what looked like an empty gasoline bottle. The top was cut out and a string was tied to It. They would hop in, and it was an instant car, plane or train for them. They would pull each other around, and when they had a hard time moving it, we would go over and give them an extra tug. They loved it and so did we. One time one of my team mates, *cough* Laura even jumped in and gave it a try. Boom Instant fun.
At church one Sunday last month, I saw a little boy with a pen that had what looked like, two milk lids on each end. He would spin it, drive it, and chew it. whatever he did with it though, He made sure he held onto it for dear life. No one was getting it from him.
I’ve seen ripped rice and potato bags, milk cartons, beer cartons, wires and lot of other things made into toys. When I’ve seen these things, I realized that this was amazing. I recognized that the parents and kids would use anything to make things, because they didn’t have a lot of money. It was super humbling and got me thinking every time.
So going back to this boy, with the tin can…
As we got closer and closer, our van driver honked the horn and he noticed us coming. He didn’t have time to move his tin can out of the way, but he did manage to move himself out of the way. As we passed by, he looked with fear in his eyes closely at the can. He eyed it down the whole time we passed by, praying we wouldn’t crush it with our tires. When I noticed his stare I realized right away how much this tin can meant to him. I remember clenching my teeth and praying as we drove directly over it.
I don’t know what it was, but my heart became heavy and I began to tear up. I will never forget his face. After the longest 5 seconds of my life, wondering if it would be a squished can, it came out alive. He ran back to it and continued on with his fancy moves.
I have never seen someone find so much joy in something so little. He found joy in something that a lot of us would consider garbage. Something we can’t wait to throw out once we pour our corn, beans or soup out of, is someone’s only toy. I mean, I was a children’s pastor for 3.5 years before I left on the Race and never once considered making things like this out of something so simple.
Going back to the question I asked in the beginning. I have. When I tried to kick the rock home and I didn’t make it all the way, it sucked but I wasn’t broken over it because I knew in five seconds I would have another one to kick. If we would of squished the can, who knows how long it would of been before he got another one.
Gosh. I don’t know what it was, but it broke me. I never felt this sad, convicted or broken on the race till then. I think what made it different this time, is seeing what something so little, cheap and used can mean to someone. You see, these homemade toys that I had seen before on the race weren’t being threatened or taken away when I saw the kids playing with them. I kinda got the drift on how important they were to them, I just never thought about the fact that they could become broken, crushed or taken. And then what.
By writing this blog, my point is not to point fingers because let’s be real, I’m the guiltiest of all. I just want to get us thinking. Maybe having the best of everything really isn’t that important. Maybe that feeling of fear that over takes me when I think I loose my phone really isn’t a good reason to freak out at all. Maybe when I ask for something for Christmas and don’t get it, I will actually be ok. And maybe before I throw away my milk carton or can, I can pray for the people that are less fortunate than I am.
I am blessed, no doubt. I live In a safe community, have food to eat everyday and that’s ok. It just not ok when I start taking it for granted and thinking its normal to have, cause its not. I just want to make sure I’m thankful for what I do have at all times.
I’m so grateful it was Gods plan for me to drive by that boy on Sunday. He changed my life in a powerful way.
Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
