Another rainy day took us out in the truck onto
muddy roads to throw our garbage at the town dump. As we sloshed along through
the mud, my mind wandered to the pleasantries of life with which I had grown
up. With the dampness in the air, I felt as if we had been camping and I was
ready to go home, dry off, and clean up.
As we approached the dump outside of town, there
was a noticeable change in our surroundings. Merely a mile or two from our
home, the evidence of poverty pressed upon me and an uncomfortable feeling tugged
at my heart.
Bumping along I noticed a small boy running quickly
beside us. He eagerly ran up the hill, and as we pulled into the dump he
timidly approached our vehicle. Often times several young children run up to
help unload our garbage with hopes that they might receive a few coins in
exchange for throwing our trash.
This time however, the boy simply followed Kevin as
he walked toward the mound of scraps and waste. Kevin tossed the bag and
returned to the truck. Keeping a close eye on the boy, I noticed he and another
young girl who had just arrived ripped open the bag and began searching through
it. My stomach tightened as I thought about the filth that bag contained. I was
disgusted and gripped with sadness at the thought of the conditions in which they
where growing up.
As we drove away, Kevin quietly noted the amazing
opportunities our children have before them simply because of the family they
were born into. Dwelling on the environment of those children, we realized the
slight probability of them even attending college. As I contemplated what
seemed to me a completely unfair situation, I was filled with anguish for those
with such a distressing childhood. At the same time, my heart was overwhelmed
with gratitude to our Lord for the grace he has bestowed upon us.
In a world so utterly corrupted by sin, the
only hope for which we live is in our precious savior Jesus Christ. Proverbs
22:2 reads, “Rich and poor
have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.” I pray that I will not
soon forget the truth that no matter how rich or poor, hope can be found in
Christ alone. Chosen by God’s grace to be his child, I have but one purpose and
that is to bring Him glory as I live each day seeking to share his love and
message with those around me.
