Still processing...

I love this excerpt from the link below...
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Jesus loved to teach through unlikely heroes. He never said, "Look at this leader in economic growth, this political giant, or this religious leader known throughout the world." Instead he said look at a child and learn humility. Look at a widow giving her last coin and learn generosity. Look at a woman of questionable repute washing his feet with her tears and learn worship. Look at a sinful tax collector and learn repentance. He said "Blessed are you who are poor," not because the poor will receive gifts from the wealthy, but because theirs is, already in their poverty, the kingdom of heaven.

 

Certainly whatever culture or economic level we come from, we need to ask God how we can pour ourselves out generously as servants for God's glory. May it not be said of us, though, that we've studied, sacrificed, and visited the poor just to fix them. Instead, we need to hang out with the poor knowing that we also are being fixed and that God in his funny way of working loves to teach us and shape us through heroes among "the least of these."
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it came from this article...
http://www.esa-online.org/Article.asp?RecordKey=CEDEB395-75B9-4B7C-B79D-D9BBE012E075

May we continue in humility to process what we saw and learned on this trip...to learn and grow and be a blessing, not to try and fix people.  We traveled with Christ to a place that Christ has existed all along.  We did not bring Him there, but I believe we got a new view of Him that we have never seen before and may never have seen in a long life in America.

In the article it also mentions "luminaries of faith" that exist among the poor.  I believe we met some of these in the Women's self help group in Holeta.  These women, in their poverty, pooled their extra money together to help one among them who was in a desperate situation.  Most of us do not really know "sacrificial" giving, but that is an amazing example! 

Praise God for allowing us to meet these amazing people who showed us what faith and trust really mean!

d