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Melodie leads WORSHIP with her music, words and life

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Lessons from the City Dump


When the non-profit magazine came in the mail from Compassion International, I almost cast it aside without even looking – but for some reason, I decided to flip through it. I stopped at page 4 and was mesmerized by the picture of Hannah and Florence, 2 sisters from Iloilo City in the Philippines. Captured by their story, I tried to imagine what life would be like for my own daughters if they had to sift through the garbage dump each day to help provide for their family. My mind struggled to even visualize it - the smell of filthy, rotting garbage in the heat of the sun, the small penance received for the back-breaking labor. No, I can’t even begin to imagine it. Don’t want to, thank you very much.

Hannah and Florence were still fresh in my mind later that day as my family sat around our dinner table, adorned with hot, fresh, ample food. The kids inhaled the beef stew and their Dad and I grinned as they shared the funny things that had happened during their school day. When there was a lull in conversation, I turned to page 4 and introduced them to Hannah and Florence from the Philippines. They listened intently as I read of the sisters’ plight and we all silently admired their courage and tenacity to be able to work at the trash heap every weekend, holiday, and even early mornings before school. I was probably not the only one at the table thinking, The audacity of me to complain about what I do or don’t have! My lifestyle is probably overwhelming wealthy compared to theirs! While we may never meet Hannah and Florence face to face in this lifetime, our family joined hands and prayed for them by name – like we had known them for years. We prayed for their strength and endurance. We thanked God for Compassion International and groups just like them who put feet to their faith. We asked God to bless these sisters in amazing, unthinkable ways.

I so much want to insure that my kids are givers. How do I instill in them a compassion for the less fortunate and a tenacity to touch the untouchable? I’m pretty sure it begins with the one whose fingers are typing these words. High on my “bucket list” is for my little family to go on a foreign mission trip one day. I am believing that this will happen at the right time. For now, I want my family to see me have the “knee-jerk reaction” to help others whenever possible, instead of looking the other way or claiming to be too busy. According to the Corporation for National & Community Service, nearly 9 out of 10 young people who give their time have parents and siblings who volunteer. Hmm.

My mind jumps to the words Jesus Himself told us that the righteous will hear one day. “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” Matthew 25:35,36 It seems almost heretical to imagine the Lord Jesus in line for free soup, but these were His words! The other day when I had the awesome opportunity to give out gloves and hats to the homeless, I found myself studying their cold, ruddy-cheeked faces for signs of the Savior. But it might not dawn on me to look for Jesus when my neighbor calls in a panic and needs me to watch after her toddler for an hour or two, or my other friend has a sick child and needs me to pick up her kids in car line, or someone needs a ride, or a meal, or a touch, or a prayer, or my favorite red scarf. When I do these things, not only am I doing it unto Him, but my kids are seeing this Scripture come alive before their very eyes!

Hannah and Florence, thank you for teaching us about hard work and reminding us to love and care for those who are less fortunate than us. We can’t wait to meet you in heaven one day…where there are no trash heaps…ever again!