Do it anyway

Wise words from someone who loved extravagantly:

"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway."
~ Mother Teresa

With the sheer number of orphans living on the streets of Johannesburg - thousands upon thousands - what difference does it make if I help in only a small way rescue just a handful? It matters to that handful.

And it matters to God.

So it matters to me. . .

Freckles in the Water

Ready for a cute story this morning? Recently, five year old Khanya went for a visit to her “special auntie’s” house in Johannesburg.  She desperately wanted to swim but when they got to the pool they realized that chemicals had only just been put in the water and it was looking rather murky.

Her special auntie told her that she didn’t think they would be able to swim as the chemicals would be too strong.  Khanya immediately suggested that they pray about it.  Quietly she closed her eyes and said “Dear Lord, please can you take the freckles out of the water as I would really like to swim!”

I love how young ones turn to God for help as confidently and honestly as if he were their sitting-right-there-in-his-chair Papa. And indeed, for the children at Oasis Haven, God is very much the first father-figure they learn to love and trust.

It's been a month since I have begun my Jubilee for Joburg journey. I want to raise $5,000 to help pay the cost of the therapies these children need when they come to Oasis Haven from off the streets. Some of them have never played. They don't know what it is like to play. Some have never imagined what they would like to be when they grow up. They don't know how to look up to God in hope, or trust another human being to love them like God loves them.

Join me, would you?

We can help take the freckles out of the pool. . .