That we survive.
This morning, we had the privilege of visiting with a family whose child is supported by Pilas. Now, a common reaction we’ve been made aware of is the disconnect between the student we see during the day and the home they come from. When we see this student, he presents well as he is clean with an appropriate uniform. You would almost make an assumption that his home, maybe not fantastic, has some basic living standards. Yet, when we went to the home today, it was disheartening to see that wasn’t the case. There was no running water, electricity was spotty, and there wasn’t a proper stove. The walls were corrugated metal and dirt was everywhere. During our conversation with the family, I had a chance to ask: What do you take the most pride in from your life? The response was “that we survive.” For them, it’s really about life and death. They don’t have a choice, they just have to continue on.
Yet, the interesting thing was hearing how much they rely on God for everything. It’s interesting because they didn’t complain to God about their situation, while we complain to God all the time about the most minor things. Instead, she recognized that God provides for them. That’s something I wish we in North America would be able to do. I wonder if she is able to see God working because she’s actively looking for Him because it really is a matter of survival, there’s no other option. Yet, if God is just another option for us because we have so many choices, no wonder we might miss Him. No wonder we complain when God doesn’t measure up to our standards because we just move on to something else. Perhaps, part of our call is to understand that we really only survive and thrive when God is present.