Anything But the Least of These

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." - Matthew 25:40

Her arms clung around my waist and her head nuzzled into my stomach.  “Mwen kontan we ou” she whispered as she hugged me tighter.  “I’m happy to see you too, Sweetie” I whispered back, returning the squeeze.  Manouchka hugs are one of my favorites.

Every Friday for six months her mother has brought forth the prayer request at Bible study to pray for her daughter who has a great deal of stomach pain.  Today when she came to visit me I wanted to get the the bottom of it.  I am not a medical professional, but I hoped that maybe seeing her stomach, feeling for a tumor, and asking a few follow up questions could lead to some answers. 

I asked Manouhcka to help me with a special mission.  As my helper, she was holding the door of our medical pharmacy open that the wind kept blowing shut.  I asked her if she had been having stomach pain.  She quickly answered yes.  I asked her when does she have this pain, before she eats, after she eats, all the time?  She said she has the pain when she goes to school.  “When my mom doesn’t have something to feed me in the morning before school, I go to school and have stomach pain.”  “Are you hungry?”  “Yes, because I am hungry.” 

I called her mom over.  She hung her head, looking down at her feet and said, “I have been selling bread from a local bakery.  If the day before wasn’t a good selling day, I don’t have profits left to feed her in the morning.  After she goes to school, I quickly go to buy the bread and take it to the streets to sell.  As soon as I have a little money, I rush back to her school and buy her a pate(fried flour stuffed with various spices and sometimes meats or vegetables).  I try to get it there by 10:00am, or as quickly as I can, so she has food in her stomach.  But this last month I was called to the school several times because she was eating her notebooks.  Whole pages of them.  She was ripping them and eating them in class.”   

I looked down at this sweet 10-year-old child whose arms were wrapped around me full of love and joy just moments ago, and thought, how?  How on this day, April 25, 2019, are children like this sweet girl, so hungry that they are eating paper notebooks? 

I asked Manouchka, “If I send you home with peanut butter, would you like to have peanut butter and bread before school to help your hunger pains?”  Her eyes lit up as big as saucers.  It was as if I told her we were going to Disneyworld to have tea in Cinderella’s Castle.  “Oh YES!” she shouted.  And we were both nearly in tears. 

Matthew 25:40 is a verse often quoted when referring to giving to the poor.  "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."  After moving to Haiti I struggled with that verse.  These sweet children and beautiful people I have come to do life with were definitely not the “least” of anything.  They are valuable and loved, cherished and gifted.  I wrestled in my spirit with this until I realized that “least” did not mean they are less in value, but that they are more vulnerable and at risk – perhaps of poverty, or abuse, or illness.  We are all created equal in the eyes of the Father, but we are not born into equal circumstances.  Jesus’ heart and ministry was to protect the vulnerable, to be concerned for the needs of the poor, to offer love and attention to the outcast.  And as his followers we are called to do the same.    

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”  1 Timothy 6:17-19

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”  Hebrews 13:16

And so we must ask ourselves the questions:
Do I easily give? Do I cling to my money, or do I have concern for the vulnerable? Do I fully recognize the command and blessing to be a giver?
How does my giving reflect the heart of Christ? What do I need to change so that my giving does reflect the heart of Christ?
How can I protect the vulnerable? How can I be part of ending hunger?  Child trafficking?  Sex trafficking?  Poverty?  Homelessness? 

There is incredible power in generosity. Giving to others, gives purpose and power to your own life. Don’t believe me? I dare you to try it. Even if you can only give $10.  Pray and ask God what He might have you give today. 

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do  it.”  Proverbs 3:27

Give with a cheerful heart. You will be blessed by your giving. If you don’t know where to give, you could give to our nonprofit, Haiti Foundation Against Poverty, so that children like Manouchka can be fed.  

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7
“Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”  Deuteronomy 15:10

His Kingdom come, His will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.