Yes it was one of those days recently. Instead of giving you every detail (and frustration) let me give you the condensed version…someone said they had food to donate to the children’s home (this same person had told us this before and had Chuck running around Nairobi getting the items and actually having Chuck pay for some of it – and it wasn’t enough to feed all the kids!).
When we heard this person had more food to donate Chuck asked the pastor involved to confirm everything the night before so we could go into Nairobi and pick up the items at one place-no taxiing around, no purchasing the food ourselves. In the morning we were told yup everything is ready, but it didn’t work out that way. In the end (and believe me this “in the end” entailed much frustration, waiting, organizing, people not answering their phones to tell us where the food was, backtracking, gas in the truck, time and so much more) this person gave a 50 kg bag of beans…enough for about 6 meals for the kids.
Then to top it off the bag of beans was from a government program donated to this person. It reminded me of the people who gave out of their excess compared to the woman who gave 2 copper coins (Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4). I have been guilty of giving from my excess, I’ll give as long as it doesn’t alter my lifestyle, but God has taught me the error of that and I can see it in myself much more clearly and repent. This situation simply reminded me of my own sinfulness…that is after I got over the frustration of it (hey, I’m a work in process!).
My frustration came down pretty quickly once we pulled into the home, 7 hours later. The house mum said “thank God we have some beans to eat with the little maize we have.” Frustrating or not she was right and had her thoughts set on thanking God for providing, not complaining about who gave it and how.