What can $15 do?

This morning in my prayer time I asked God to lead me today and to place people in my path that I could pray for and help. Since Mondays are the day that the Romeros and Rebekah talk to their families, Susanna and I have a little down time in the morning. In the afternoon we plan for our week. This morning right before we started our community prayer, we had a visitor, our friend Cherry. She and her son Neilbryan (6 months) came for a visit. They joined us for family prayer. Before praying Cherry told us that Neilbryan is still sick. He has been coughing for weeks now. She needed to go to the doctor.

She joined us for our morning prayer and shared on the scripture we read: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11:28-30. I couldn’t understand what she shared because it was in her dialect. She speaks a little English but is more comfortable speaking in her dialect. She took part in prayer with us and asked the Lord for the things she needs.

After prayer I took her to one of our friend’s (Tita Nida) clinics. She is a pediatrician. Once we got to the clinic Cherry said she had never been to a private practice physician. She said it is very expensive and she normally goes to the free clinic and has to wait all day. I could have let her go to the free clinic, but I wanted to make sure she received good care for her son. I wanted to make sure that he would be properly diagnosed. We waited for maybe ten minutes before the doctor saw us. Tita Nida diagnosed Neilbryan with asthmatic bronchitis. She prescribed him three medications. For the whole visit it cost $523 pesos. That is the equivalent to $12.45 USD.

When we finished at the Tita Nida's office, I told Cherry that we were going to take our snacks. She asked, "Are we going back to your house?" I said, "No, we are going some place special." I took her to our favorite place to eat, RE Cafe. I told her she could order whatever she wanted. She ordered rice, an egg, mini hot dogs, and coffee. I ordered a small snack. As she ate she couldn't stop thanking me for the doctor visit and now food. I would remind her that it was God who provided. Once she finished eating, she started drinking her coffee very rapidly. I told her we weren't in a hurry so she could take her time. She responded, "I don't want to keep you from the plans you have today." Basically she didn't want to be a burden. I affirmed her telling her that I wasn't busy. Monday is our day to plan for the week and I still had plenty of time to do that. Once we were done we came back to my house because she wanted to thank Sis Lindsey, Sis Rebekah, Sis Susanna, and Bro Sammy (that is what she calls us (: ). She visited for awhile just talking to us and sharing her experience with the doctor.

Cherry and her son Neilbryan

We have known Cherry for a month now. We have visited her at her house and seen her living conditions. She doesn't have running water or electricity. She lives in a very small shack with her husband and son. She never asks us for anything, she just wants our friendship. Each time we give, because the Holy Spirit compels us to, she is so thankful and cannot believe that she has friends like us. Last Sunday after attending the 4:00 mass at the Cathedral, guess who I saw! Cherry! I don't know if she was going to mass before we met her, but I felt like it was a fruit of our works. God is using us in real ways here and I am excited about what he is doing.

Through meeting Cherry, God is convicting me to the many ways that I choose not to give generously to the poor. He has blessed me with much, why shouldn't I share what He has given me? Some have said not to give money, or take people to the doctor, or to give people medicine. They think that people are cheating us and taking advantage of us. I take that advice with a grain of salt. I know that God has put me here to give to the least of these and to give without counting the cost. He has asked me to not judge others and assume the worst, but rather the best. He has asked me to be his hands and feet, and I am striving to do that each day. With that being said, I am not handing out money left and right. When the Holy Spirit compels me to, I give. Most of the time he asks me to give people prayer, food, and water; food for the body and food for the soul.

So what can $15 do? You can eat fast food for all your meals for a day or it can bring a baby to a good doctor, supply medicine, and provide a healthy lunch. I figured out that with only $5 which translates to $210 pesos, you can provide enough rice for a family for almost a week. God is showing me small ways to sacrifice the things I have or the things I want so that others can have more. I challenge you to look around and see the ways that you can sacrifice for others too!