I was sitting on my back porch watching the village people from across the pond. I was feeling rather lonely and bored when I thought of the blanket that my mom had given me. She told me that it had been my sisters and she wanted me to take it to Bangladesh to give away. When I first got here I would have never imagined that anyone would need a blanket (It was so hot!) but the last few weeks have been very cool. It may not be cold compared to America but the humidity and wind make it bitter. I know that if I am cold that the villagers must be frozen to the bone. I decided that today was the day that I was going to give away my baby sister blanket.
I rounded up my fellow missionary girls and we took 6 kids with us. We wandered around in the empty rice fields for a while and then went back to the village that is behind my house. Out of all the villages that are around us I think they are the poorest. I prayed that God would lead me to the family that needed it the most and then we started looking for a baby girl. We walked around giving little candies to the kids but not really seeing a poor little girl to give a baby blanket. We were almost to the end of the village when I saw a lady with a baby girl tied to her back. She was filling two huge pots with water and carrying them to her house. At first I just watched her and then I decided that she was the one that I was going to give the blanket to. I turned and asked Danny to tell her that I had a gift for her. We walked into her tiny mud courtyard and a smile crossed her face as she found out the reason for our visit. She stuck out her hand that was soaking wet from carrying the water jugs and shook my hand. I took a quick picture of her the baby and the blanket and said Farwell. I think we made her day.
I was thinking of gifts that I could give the Bengali ladies that work here and I decided the best person to ask what a Bengali lady would like as a gift would be Shati. I went back behind the kitchen to the other prepping room and asked her what I should get. Grabbing my arm Shati dragged me into the big room where the kitchen ladies do most of their food prep. She took me to where a few ladies were frying fish and standing close to the wooden oven, which produces all the food for the 120 kids and their caretakers. Then she looked me in the eyes and said, “Chantel, when you give a gift you give love. It doesn’t matter what you give, it can be so small, but the person who is getting the gift does not care. They are just happy that you are giving them love. You understand?” It was one of those profound concepts that should be common knowledge to everyone. I really think that I have missed out on what it really means to give/receive gifts.
I love getting gifts it makes me so happy. But it doesn’t matter if someone gives me something that I really want or need. What matters is that they cared enough to give me something in the first place. The gift is just a representation of the love that is within the friendship.
In Bangladesh the people are so happy to receive blankets, clothes, candies, and socks. It is kind of beautiful to see people get so excited about things that seem so small. Christmas is in a week and everyone is so frantic about getting presents (in America) this makes it is so easy to forget the best gift we have ever received. Jesus Christ. Now that is showing Love.
(Thank you for praying for the health of us over in Bangladesh. I asked you to continue to pray. Lauren and I are still very sick and Mr. Waid is even worse than before. We appreciate it so much)
Happy Sabbath!
I rounded up my fellow missionary girls and we took 6 kids with us. We wandered around in the empty rice fields for a while and then went back to the village that is behind my house. Out of all the villages that are around us I think they are the poorest. I prayed that God would lead me to the family that needed it the most and then we started looking for a baby girl. We walked around giving little candies to the kids but not really seeing a poor little girl to give a baby blanket. We were almost to the end of the village when I saw a lady with a baby girl tied to her back. She was filling two huge pots with water and carrying them to her house. At first I just watched her and then I decided that she was the one that I was going to give the blanket to. I turned and asked Danny to tell her that I had a gift for her. We walked into her tiny mud courtyard and a smile crossed her face as she found out the reason for our visit. She stuck out her hand that was soaking wet from carrying the water jugs and shook my hand. I took a quick picture of her the baby and the blanket and said Farwell. I think we made her day.
I was thinking of gifts that I could give the Bengali ladies that work here and I decided the best person to ask what a Bengali lady would like as a gift would be Shati. I went back behind the kitchen to the other prepping room and asked her what I should get. Grabbing my arm Shati dragged me into the big room where the kitchen ladies do most of their food prep. She took me to where a few ladies were frying fish and standing close to the wooden oven, which produces all the food for the 120 kids and their caretakers. Then she looked me in the eyes and said, “Chantel, when you give a gift you give love. It doesn’t matter what you give, it can be so small, but the person who is getting the gift does not care. They are just happy that you are giving them love. You understand?” It was one of those profound concepts that should be common knowledge to everyone. I really think that I have missed out on what it really means to give/receive gifts.
I love getting gifts it makes me so happy. But it doesn’t matter if someone gives me something that I really want or need. What matters is that they cared enough to give me something in the first place. The gift is just a representation of the love that is within the friendship.
In Bangladesh the people are so happy to receive blankets, clothes, candies, and socks. It is kind of beautiful to see people get so excited about things that seem so small. Christmas is in a week and everyone is so frantic about getting presents (in America) this makes it is so easy to forget the best gift we have ever received. Jesus Christ. Now that is showing Love.
(Thank you for praying for the health of us over in Bangladesh. I asked you to continue to pray. Lauren and I are still very sick and Mr. Waid is even worse than before. We appreciate it so much)
Happy Sabbath!
That's such a cute story! And it is so true! one of my love languages is gifts, I love giving gifts because no matter what I'm giving I give it with all my heart. I'll pray that you get better, I too am in bed sick :P suuuper fun! I hoe you guys all get better!
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