I have a new friend. A lovely woman with a heart for the Lord and His work. She's living out
James 1: 27
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
She raises money to provide high calorie, high protein porridge full of vitamins and minerals to hungry children in Kenya. I''m excited about this!
She's a sweetheart, and I'm blessed to get the know her better. She is able to send almost 100% of the money raised to the feeding program. Anybody involved in something like this knows just how hard that is. Anyway, please check out her ministry's website.
I just finished reading a blog post from the site and really, you need to read it too. Here's a portion of what Cindy Romberg wrote on her blog:
Standing behind the tub and ladling porridge into a stream of cups gripped tightly by grateful hands, my heart was deeply moved as I looked up to gaze upon a single-file line that stretched as far as my eyes could see. I knew that for some this would be the only meal they would eat that day. I noticed that others were helped here by their friends because they were too weak to walk here on their own. Hiding the tears behind my sunglasses, I took a deep breath and continued to pour knowing that each child, in spite of her circumstances, was a special gift and deeply loved.
As the line eventually dwindled, I became aware of one little boy near the end who seemed to stand out from the others. I wondered why the light of his countenance was especially bright. I handed him a tangerine-colored cup of porridge and watched him as he made his way back through the crowd, only to stop in front of three other children. He must have known who needed to eat more than he, for he poured the entire contents of his cup into theirs. He gave all he had, every last drop!
"That is Kemani,” the program organizer commented to me. “He is 7-years-old and he has a heart for the poor."
"He has a heart for the poor?” I was stunned! “He is the poor! How could he do that? What would motivate a small child to spend his morning standing in the back of a long line of hungry masses just to receive something that he would only give away?”
The image of precious porridge thoughtfully draining from orange plastic will forever be with me. Kemani may never realize the extent of his deed, but his simple irreversible act of kindness made a profound impact on my idea of what it means to love. He showed me that it’s one thing to give from my abundance, but love gives from my need. More than just sharing my left-overs with others, love is extravagant and costs me something personally. It gives sacrificially, and at times may even require my last drop.
It’s been two years since I visited Kabera, but I remember my experience like it was yesterday. I will always be grateful for Kemani, and I pray that I will have the courage to follow his example of compassion to others no matter their circumstances… or mine. I don’t know what the future holds for little Kemani, but in my mind he will always be a 7-year-old boy with a heart the size of the slum in which he lives. And he will always be holding a tangerine cup looking for someone who needs its contents more than he.
I just finished reading a blog post from the site and really, you need to read it too. Here's a portion of what Cindy Romberg wrote on her blog:
Standing behind the tub and ladling porridge into a stream of cups gripped tightly by grateful hands, my heart was deeply moved as I looked up to gaze upon a single-file line that stretched as far as my eyes could see. I knew that for some this would be the only meal they would eat that day. I noticed that others were helped here by their friends because they were too weak to walk here on their own. Hiding the tears behind my sunglasses, I took a deep breath and continued to pour knowing that each child, in spite of her circumstances, was a special gift and deeply loved.
As the line eventually dwindled, I became aware of one little boy near the end who seemed to stand out from the others. I wondered why the light of his countenance was especially bright. I handed him a tangerine-colored cup of porridge and watched him as he made his way back through the crowd, only to stop in front of three other children. He must have known who needed to eat more than he, for he poured the entire contents of his cup into theirs. He gave all he had, every last drop!
"That is Kemani,” the program organizer commented to me. “He is 7-years-old and he has a heart for the poor."
"He has a heart for the poor?” I was stunned! “He is the poor! How could he do that? What would motivate a small child to spend his morning standing in the back of a long line of hungry masses just to receive something that he would only give away?”
The image of precious porridge thoughtfully draining from orange plastic will forever be with me. Kemani may never realize the extent of his deed, but his simple irreversible act of kindness made a profound impact on my idea of what it means to love. He showed me that it’s one thing to give from my abundance, but love gives from my need. More than just sharing my left-overs with others, love is extravagant and costs me something personally. It gives sacrificially, and at times may even require my last drop.
It’s been two years since I visited Kabera, but I remember my experience like it was yesterday. I will always be grateful for Kemani, and I pray that I will have the courage to follow his example of compassion to others no matter their circumstances… or mine. I don’t know what the future holds for little Kemani, but in my mind he will always be a 7-year-old boy with a heart the size of the slum in which he lives. And he will always be holding a tangerine cup looking for someone who needs its contents more than he.
She is an amazing woman, doing a great work!! We are blessed to know such a wonderful lady!
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