The peanut butter and Honey Sandwich…

God spoke to me through a peanut butter and honey sandwich the other day! I know that sounds little crazy, but it was amazing to experience God’s creativeness. God can and does use anything and everything to teach us! Let me give you a little background for this situation.

I have struggled everyday since we’ve arrived in South Africa with the extreme poverty everywhere. Every time we go into the city plaza people approach us asking for some change or food. It breaks my heart because I know this is not how God intended life to be. I have struggled to know exactly how to help. Several people have told us not to give away any money because it can be extremely dangerous for us. Doesn’t that seem so messed up? It is dangerous for you to give someone a meal or spend time with him or her. It seems to present this lose/lose situation. I found myself asking God where he is winning. If I am approached on the street regardless of what I decide to do, I feel like I am not truly doing what God wants me to. It feels completely wrong to do absolutely nothing and walk away; my heart can’t actually take it. But, it doesn’t feel right to give them money either. Both solutions don’t help me to love these people the way Christ does. I feel like I am losing either way. (Wow, I hope that makes sense). I’ve wrestled with this for a long time, begging God to show me what he desires in the situation. The other day I started to see where God is winning! I was reading this awesome book called Hope Lives (I recommend everyone read it) and the book asked me to consider how Isaiah 58 challenged me.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and unite the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

Isaiah 58

OOOO So Good Huh? This is where the sandwich comes in. So I was reading and reached into my bag to journal about it when I felt my plastic sandwich bag that had in it some crust left over from my peanut butter and honey goodness I had earlier. I went to toss it but stopped and started to think about how easy it would be for me to give something as simple as a sandwich. Ok I know this seems so straightforward right, why didn’t I think of it sooner? I think I realized that I want to solve the entire problem in one interaction. It can never be done that way, at least not by giving them a little money or walking away. Think about it though, it makes so much sense. They are asking you for money to buy food, most of them just ask for food right away. If I bring a sandwich with me everyday I have an opportunity to meet someone’s needs and hopefully have a good conversation with them. It is a simple idea, but it lifted this heaviness I’ve felt from the moment we arrived. So, the five girls are making 1 sandwich to give away, because we can and because we want to know the people God is blessing us with everyday! It’s been amazing to watch the Lord work. The first day we went to the plaza a man named Chris approached us, and we asked him if he would sit with us and tell us about his life. He shared his story with us and now he is one of our friends. Every time he sees us he sits with us and tells us about his day. I believe that this is exactly where Jesus wants me. We have learned so much about Chris’s incredibly heavy life. It is so sad, but he is worth every second we spend with him. I want to be here in South Africa so that I can be with people like Chris. I love to watch God move and work. Seeing Chris is probably my warmest moment every single week. I love him.

Please pray for Chris as he works to finish school. He has failed his senior year of high school several times because he has to miss class to work to support his family. Please pray that we get more time with him. I would love to get to know him better and just be a good friend to him. He needs people to love him well. Thank you for all of your prayers. God is moving and I am blessed to share in all of this with you.