up the small child she wipes his nose with her hand. Momma Noel comments, “one day this child will get an education and help change this community, he has a future and I am part of it.”Several years ago Momma Noel opened her home to what is now more than twenty one orphaned children from Beni, DR Congo. With almost no worldly goods she gives the little she has to the many helpless children she now calls her own. She receives nothing from government or local officials and only makes it by with help from two local churches. I ask her, “Why are you doing this?” She responds, “God has blessed me and this is my chance to bless others, that’s what Jesus would want me to do.”
Our partner in DR Congo encouraged us to bring something for them so we took a huge bag of beans and rice so they could eat and have extra for several weeks to come. With our partner we discussed a potential community service project. A gutter could be installed at the edge of the roof so that rain water could be collected in a barrel and used for drinking, cooking and washing. This will save a long walk to the creek and provide better water quality than what flows in the creek.
The children live in a Momma Noel’s house which is made of mud, tin roof, and two rooms with wooden beds lined end to end and side by side with skimpy foam for mattresses. Total square feet is about 250. The sheer unselfish nature of this woman humbles me. I wonder if the intensity of my Christian faith is based upon whether everything is going right or whether or not I have a comfortable lifestyle. I see how God has met her in the midst of her need, their need. I pray silently, God help my love for you to be as intense when I have nothing and am in need as well as when I have extra and don’t seem to need anything.
I am a witness to selfless love and realize I am in God’s presence. She is doing what Jesus did, a modern day Savior to twenty one children. I remember the word; don’t keep the little children from me…. For this is the kingdom of heaven.
This is your investment. This is your joy.
Mark Szymanski
