Give freely

So if you've been reading this blog at all lately you will probably know how much the CP orphanage has impacted all of us.

We've learned that communication doesn't always mean talking.

We've learned to get over smells and vomit and blended up food

We've learned to rely on God even when we don't understand

We've learned to love the abandoned. 

My week at the orphanage, God was teaching me more. I have been reading through Matthew, and a theme that God continually kept bringing to my mind was GENEROSITY. He showed me that there is heavenly reward and blessings from God to be found when we give freely to others to honor God. Obviously, this has been tested quite a bit with our living situation. There's always someone wanting to borrow a t-shirt, eat my food or talk.  He taught me (and still is teaching me) that giving away my possessions, my time, my food, shows my trust in HIS provision.

He is Jehovah Jireh after all- the God who provides. 

Ok so back to the orphanage… as I was helping feed one of the sweet angels, one of the nurses walked by. She is younger than most of the other nurses, and was super friendly. I had met her shortly before and had found out her name, Gladys. As she walked by I said hola, and noticing her earrings, complimented her on them. I barely got out my "me gusta" when she whipped her earrings out and offered them to me. I told her no, but she wouldn't take that for an answer. She told me they were a gift for me to remember her by. 

I was blown away by how easily she just gave me her earrings. By her generosity. This woman already gives so much to the children she works with, and she easily continued to give to me. She has her priorities straight. As she walked away I called her back and pulled out my earrings to give to her. She smiled and gave me a hug and walked away. 

Now every time I wear Gladys's earrings I am reminded to give of myself. Freely, generously, out of love and not for people's approval, but for their good and for God's exaltation. 

This may sound like a typical "american" thing to learn. We are so caught up in getting getting getting that we forget that it is "more blessed to give than to receive". Coming to live in a culture where sharing and giving is the norm truly has opened my eyes to the generosity of God. He has given us EVERYTHING. the food we eat, the time we have. It's all HIS. He just lends it to us to use for our time here on earth. As followers of Christ He calls us to live generously. Just like Gladys does. Just like He does. 

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.." Mat. 6:19