I have always had a hard heart, unable feel compassion towards others. I would call it a calloused heart. My fingers are calloused from playing guitar, my heart is calloused by my comfort.
Growing up I always said that missions trips and evangelism were for other people, those weren’t my gifts.
I don’t know if it was carrying buckets of water for hours on end in the Dominican Republic, I don’t know if it was driving by homeless people in my boss’s Porsche, I don’t know if it was marrying a woman who has a passion for children in Africa, BUT I have been changed.
On Friday Rose and I sponsored our first child. Her name is Monica, she is from Uganda. My entire life I have always thought her plight was someone else’s problem. Friday, we became part of the solution.
Walking through the AIDS Experience, I was Emmanuel. Both my mom and dad had died and my older brother took care of me because my aunt wouldn’t care for someone whose parent’s had AIDS. Today I am in school and I do not have AIDS. Rose however, was a girl that does have AIDS (hence our plus and minus signs in the picture).
I always hated the guilt trip of not doing enough, so I won’t dish that out to you. However, I do know that when God says it is difficult for the rich to get to heaven I think he is talking to every American because we are all rich. I hope that this small monthly donation not only can bless Monica and her community but will take my heart off of the things of this world.
