Giving

I talk about volunteering and service all the time. It's my life. The Youth and Young Adult Coordinator asked me to talk about service and giving to the youth on Saturday (tomorrow), and it wasn't until I started working on it that I realized how difficult it was going to be. I had no idea how to say "freely give of your time and money" to a group of people who have nothing. Times are harder in Senegal than ever before. The people are going to work and not receiving any money, yet on Sunday mornings when the offering time comes, they all give. I watch them dig around in their pockets for even one coin, even 100 CFA, which is 20 cents. And they want me to teach them about giving? They're teaching me about giving. They've taught me that you give when you have nothing to give. According to the Senegalese, you find something to give to God, because he has given us everything. That's not a new concept, 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 says, "Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. God will bless you with more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others.” It's written there for us, plain and simple. You find something to give because God has given you everything and he will continue to "bless you with more than enough." You may say, "But Anna, times are hard. I can barely pay the bills, and prices on everything are increasing everyday." Let me tell you, my friend, you haven't seen hard times unless you've been in a developing country recently. God has given you more than enough, and now it's your turn to give it away. People need you. I see people everyday on the streets and in the churches who are looking to me for help, and now I'm looking to you. We all have something to give, no matter the amount. I pray that you find what you can give and give it.

According to Matthew 5:14-16, "You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven." My friends, you are the light in this dark world, now shine so that everyone will praise your God.

To help the people of Senegal today, your gift can be sent to Jacki Goode (my mother), who will then put it into my Senegalese bank account, so that I can give it while I'm here. If you need the address, let me know. If you want to give to a specific church/program/person, that can be arranged. If you want to give to the church of Senegal regularly, that can be done through The Advance of the United Methodist Church.

Thank you to all of those who have already given, God will truly bless you for the love that you have shown to his people.