BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN GIVEN MUCH...

Many people here in South Africa live in inhumane conditions - but they endure every day just for the opportunity to beg on South African street corners - one of the wealthier countries in Africa. Unemployment is over 40% in South Africa and as high as 80% in the black townships.

They say, "It is a hard living, but it is a living."

Begging is a way of life to many.  They beg from sun up to sun down making about R100 ($12.00) per day.  Conditions can be extrememly harsh.  Millions live in little carboard shacks - some of them have been there for their entire lifetime.  Water taps and toilets - if there are any - are often shared by hundreds of people.  I wondered why somebody didn't do something - then I realized - I am somebody.

Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Johannesberg has an extimated 600 blind or disabled beggars.  Men, women, teenagers and children can be seen everyday on the streets begging.  Unfortunately, some even "rent a child" for the day to increase their profits.  Some may offer to wash your car windows or carry trash bags offering to take your car trash for a few coins.

Others get creative - like this man who decorated this shopping cart - he walks the streets with a smile - it is definetely hard to miss him. We stopped to give him some bananas - his smile was huge and he was so excited - I thought of the quote by Mother Teresa,

"We can no great things, only small things with great love."

When was the last time I got that excited over a few banana's?

Most have a sign - "I don't do crime..."  Some can be aggressive - but most are just hungry.  It is difficult deciding which beggar really needs the most help on any given day.  Although we sometimes give them our loose change - we generally buy bread or "pop" (a main staple made from corn) and pass that along.  A bag costs about 75 cents

and can feed a person for about a week. 

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one."

- Mother Teresa

Each night I think of the song "Count your blessings...name them one by one" and "Because I have been given much I too must give..." I am so grateful that I have been so blessed - that I have never had to know how it feels to have my children go to bed hungry.  I have never had to sleep under the stars - because I had no home to go to.  I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve here in Africa - and to realize just how blessed I really am.

Now just another little story somewhat along the same line.
So there is a young man who had applied for a mission here in South Africa.  The area office had a problem with his application and he had to take a bus and then walk about 2 miles to the area office.  As he got off the bus he was held up by 2 men.  He had a camera that was someone else's, a cell phone and his wallet with a little money in it.  He knew he couldn't give them the camera - it wasn't his - and he really needed his cell phone - so he pulled out his wallet to give them some money.  He had R10 that he was about to give them - but they saw he also had R50.00 (about $6.00) naturally they wanted all of it.  He told them if he gave them all his money he wouldn't have any money to get home.  So the robbers went into a nearby store - got change and gave him the R.30 he needed to get home! Then they shook hands and parted ways.
Even some of the African muggers have a kind heart!

"If we could all hear one another's prayers, God might be relieved of some of his burdens."