I hope you are doing well.
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| Photo Credit: Mine ~ Sunset from downtown Vancouver hotel one summer night |
I am keeping busy and still behind schedule. So many things to do but not much get up and go to do them. I will get there just a bit slowly it seems.
I wanted to thank those of you who prayed and those of you who gave to help the young Kenyan mother who lost her baby at 31 weeks. If you are new to my blog or haven't visited in awhile, you may read the story here. A few blogging friends and I have been trying to help the young mom get out of hospital. Other friends in Kenya have also held two fundraisers but the mom remains in hospital.
Yes! She is still there. In Kenya you are not allowed to leave hospitals until you have fully cleared the bills. This bill was very high and we haven't quite managed to clear it. But it is much closer than it was to being cleared and fortunately for this humble family they have had outside support as well as community support. I'm sure it makes the load of the hardship a little less heavy.
Please continue to say a prayer for this mother and her young family. As you can imagine, it isn't good to have had to be in hospital all this time. She should be with her family members all of whom live two hours away. She has a husband and another child who need her and they need to grieve together as a family. Sadly, she was in hospital when her unborn child was released for burial.
I had another friend contact me last night for prayer. His mother-in-law (MIL) went missing when she went to try and seek medical help as she wasn't feeling very well. I think she was probably a bit delirious and lost her way somehow. My friend and his wife live several hours away from this woman and her husband. So I prayed and they prayed. Thank God the MIL was found today. She is now in hospital being treated for typhoid. Typhoid is a very serious disease and hopefully she will fully recover with the help of medicine.
Today many around the world are celebrating Valentine's Day. I hope you all have a blessed day and that you a get an opportunity to show your loved ones (or they you) just how much they mean to you.
A life worth living is one filled with faith, hope and love.
We never know exactly how long we have left here on earth or what tomorrow holds.
Today we may have abundance and tomorrow we may have lack.
Today we may have beautiful shelter. Tomorrow we may lose our home due to man made or natural disaster.
Today we may have health but tomorrow we may get the dreaded news that we are sick.
Today we may have a wonderful job. Tomorrow we might be redundant and given the "pink slip".
Today we may have loved ones all around us. Tomorrow something might happen to one of us.
Today we may enjoy reading, writing or crafting. Tomorrow we may lose our sight.
Today we may enjoy hearing and watching television, talking on the phone, listening to music. Tomorrow we may lose our hearing.
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| Graphic credit: Lovely & Beautiful |
Today we might have hope and opportunities, something to give us faith in the future and love in the meantime. Tomorrow these might not be present.
Today you may be able to share your good abundance with others. Tomorrow you may need them to share their abundance with you.
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Even a bag of seeds is so precious. Especially to a small, barefoot child a half a world away who has never had a chance to go to school, who sleeps on a dirt floor, who doesn't know the security of clean water to drink, or a meal every day to fill his empty belly.
He clutches tightly to this donated bag of fertilizer that his mother will plant in hopes of keeping her children fed.
He clutches tightly to this donated bag of fertilizer that his mother will plant in hopes of keeping her children fed.
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| Photo Credit ~ Jonah, Missions of Hope, Kenya |
Let's live a life of gratitude daily for the things many of us take for granted.
If you are reading this, or know how to read, you are one of the many blessed of the world's people.
"Sympathy is no substitute for action."~ Dr. David Livingstone, missionary to Africa
11 comments:
I love your words today Penny. I would really like to help with that bill. Just having a scan around to see if you have provided a link. Thank you as always for the reminder to be grateful, the photo of the little one with the bag of seeds really brought that home today. I feel sad for our children in the west sometimes who have so much but can grow to be so unhappy. And those here who are not born in homes where there is love and care given to them with any consistency. I suppose that is why I try to do what I can through my work. Though sometimes I don't feel as if my efforts help! Action is what is needed but that is not always so simple. At least here sending money will help and that is something I can do. Hope you understand my words, sometimes I have to write it down to understand it myself!
Hi Jan, thanks so much for your visit and your offer to help with the bill. Please just send whatever you think you can spare. You can send it to me via Pay Pal at the email you have for me (also at my profile page, see link at upper right of this blog to my profile page). I know with your caring heart you are making a difference through your work. The kind of concern and sensitivity you have for your clients is so desperately needed. Please don't underestimate what a kind word, thought and deed can do for those you come to you for help. I do also understand what you mean about not always being simple to put caring into action. I try to bring needs to people through my blog and make it easy to send funds to Kenya. I know from experience that if people have to go through the difficulties to send directly, most people would not bother. It is so important that we do bother. Thanks again, Jan. Big hugs. x
Hi there Jan, I have hooked up with penny to help pay the bill, Im doing giveaway and craft swap on my blog please take a look and enter the giveaway for some lovely craft things x
Hi Joyful! I am so joyful that your friends MIL was found! Wow, that's so scary to think something might have happened to her. I hope she is treated correctly and well, and is healthy again soon.
Blessings to you for your efforts to help the less fortunate.
Ceil
Thanks Ceil. I'm grateful she was found too!
You have completely moved me with this post.....thank you for passing forward what matters and what we can do to help others. Wishing you a glorious week ahead! Nicole xo
Thank you for visiting Nicole, and for being open to see the suffering of others. "The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto you". xox
Hi Joyful, This is just an excellent post ... Couldn't say it better than "My Garden Diaries" above. So glad the MIL was found. Hope she will be OK. Still praying for the lady in the hospital in Kenya. God will surely bless you and Jabbott for all your efforts. Love the sunset photo --- awesome! Wishing you a fine week ahead! John
You have such a wonderful and caring heart!
I am glad to know your friends MIL was found ... such a blessing!
Oh, the sunset photo of downtown Vancouver is stunning ...such a lovely capture!
It's always a pleasure to read your mission updates and to see, especially, the beautiful children. I received a Lenten prayer booklet in the mail today from Food for the Poor, Inc. Our parish sees a missionary from their organization at least once a year. Time to make another donation. Good people and good work. God Bless you on this first day of Lent.
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