Hope Mendola is a World Racer on the August 2009 squad. She is serving in Cambodia doing house visits. While helping this family with it’s daily work, she got a little lesson in fashion and the Kingdom of God.
At 8:00 a.m. my team hopped into a van and made our way
to a
government housing relocation center. We spent the morning doing house
visits, and before I knew it I was helping a family cut loose threads
off black pants. The pants come from a nearby factory, and the family
gets $1 for every 100 pants. On an average day they finish 50 pants; on a
good day they finish 100. So their income is fifty cents to a dollar a
day. If they cause a hole in the pants they are charged $5, and if they
lose a pair of pants they are charged $10.
to a
government housing relocation center. We spent the morning doing house
visits, and before I knew it I was helping a family cut loose threads
off black pants. The pants come from a nearby factory, and the family
gets $1 for every 100 pants. On an average day they finish 50 pants; on a
good day they finish 100. So their income is fifty cents to a dollar a
day. If they cause a hole in the pants they are charged $5, and if they
lose a pair of pants they are charged $10.
All this being said, I was doing my best to handle the pants with
extreme caution when I noticed the tag.. It said…
extreme caution when I noticed the tag.. It said…
For some reason it struck me as odd. Probably because I’ve seen
this label frequently in my shopping endeavors, and now it was staring
me in the face. In Cambodia. These pants really were made in Cambodia. I
wondered where in the world they would end up. And then I saw this…
this label frequently in my shopping endeavors, and now it was staring
me in the face. In Cambodia. These pants really were made in Cambodia. I
wondered where in the world they would end up. And then I saw this…
Buwah!? That’s only one of my favorite stores. What if the pants I
was de-threading were shipped to a Target near me, and what if they
ended up once again in my hands. Or on my legs. Around this time I found
out that they were, in fact, children’s pants. But who’s
counting.
was de-threading were shipped to a Target near me, and what if they
ended up once again in my hands. Or on my legs. Around this time I found
out that they were, in fact, children’s pants. But who’s
counting.
Then I looked over to the woman next to me – the women who cuts
loose threads off dozens of pants day in and day out – all for a few
cents so she can feed her hungry kids. I
can’t imagine that when she was
a kid and her teacher asked what she wanted to be when she grew up she answered with, “I want to spend my life cutting threads off pants!”
loose threads off dozens of pants day in and day out – all for a few
cents so she can feed her hungry kids. I
can’t imagine that when she was
a kid and her teacher asked what she wanted to be when she grew up she answered with, “I want to spend my life cutting threads off pants!”
Ohwait, she probably never had a teacher, because she probably never went
to school. I wanted so badly to rip the scissors and pants out of her
hand and look her in the eyes and and tell her that everything would be
okay. But I couldn’t. Because it’s not true.
But then I remembered that Jesus says “blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The kingdom of heaven belongs to this woman who cuts threads off
pants for hours a day.
pants for hours a day.
As we were walking, we passed through a market where we bumpe
d
into a small girl. She was 7 or 8, and she was caring for her younger
sister, who was probably 2 or 3. She seemed happy enough, and was posing
for pictures with her younger sister.
d
into a small girl. She was 7 or 8, and she was caring for her younger
sister, who was probably 2 or 3. She seemed happy enough, and was posing
for pictures with her younger sister.
But then, when we asked if we could pray for her, she hung her head
low. “I want to go to school,” she told our translator. “But I can’t.
My mother is in the HIV hospital, and
I have to take care of my sister.”
Ughhh… I wanted so badly to lift her head up and look her in the eyes
and tell her that everything would be okay. But I couldn’t do that.
Because it’s not true.
and tell her that everything would be okay. But I couldn’t do that.
Because it’s not true.
Instead, I told her about Jesus. I told her that he always
hears our cries. I told her that he won’t necessarily give us
everything we want, but he has a greater plan in store. I wondered if
she could even comprehend anything I was saying (I wondered if I could
even comprehend what I was saying). But then I remembered that Jesus
says “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for
the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
hears our cries. I told her that he won’t necessarily give us
everything we want, but he has a greater plan in store. I wondered if
she could even comprehend anything I was saying (I wondered if I could
even comprehend what I was saying). But then I remembered that Jesus
says “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for
the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
The kingdom of heaven belongs to this little girl. The
kingdom of heaven belongs to the woman who cuts off loose threads. The
kingdom of heaven is moving on Earth, and I am privileged enough to be
there as it happens.
kingdom of heaven belongs to the woman who cuts off loose threads. The
kingdom of heaven is moving on Earth, and I am privileged enough to be
there as it happens.
