After some “small talk”, I kindly asked the mother, Anushka, to tell her testimony to me. I was very encouraged and amazed at how she praised God. I think I expected her to at least complain about something. Obviously she had many struggles and a difficult life. She chose to see how beautiful our Lord and Saviour is. She chose to make Him the persuit of her life. She emphasized how He is all that she needs. The water that He gives becomes a fountain of living water that wells up to eternal life. She testified from personal experiences how He is the provider and takes care of her needs. She didn’t mention that her husband is addicted to alcohol and not a believer. It was pastor Parkash who brought it to light. She then kindly requested that I pray for her husband to realise how much Jesus loves him and that he would come to repentance. She repented as she told me that she often feels guilty for some days not taking time to pray and read the Word. I encouraged her through the story of the Prodigal son and how the Father always wants us to run to Him. The Deceiver wants us to feel guilty and not worthy to come to God. The fact is, we will never be worthy, but it is only because of the blood of Jesus that we have the privilege to come with boldness to the Father. There is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ.

After a while, Anushka’s oldest daughter brought us dinner and they pleaded with us to eat. I made eye contact with Parkash to my left. We were in a catch-22 situation. If I don’t eat the food which they prepared with so much love, they could feel offended? If I do eat the food, then they would go to bed hungry? He read my mind, leaned over and whispered to me to only eat a few bites. As we greeted and walked out, Anushka placed 100 rupees (about 20 Rand) into my hand. As I climbed onto the back of the bike with Parkash, my vision became blurred as the tears filled my eyes. Anushka didn’t know where the money for her and her family’s next meal would come from, and still she gave me all that she had. Mark 12:42-44: And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Anushka reminded me of this poor widow. I was cut to the heart. How often I want to hold on to every penny that I receive? Anushka showed me something. She showed me that she knows that God provides. She showed me not to walk according to what I see, but that I must put my trust in God.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 8:1-3: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord. These believers in Macedonia gave towards the needs of the believers in Jerusalem who were struggling. They gave even while they were extremely poor themselves. These believers understood, like Anushka, that it is more blessed to give, than to receive.

That night, as Parkash and I left this family, on our way to visit another family, I made the decision to trust that God is my provider. I decided that when I have little and struggle, it is not an excuse to be stingy. Like Anushka, it should compel me to the joy and beauty of giving generously. Maybe you are going through a difficult time. Maybe you are anxious and worried about the future. Will I get retrenched? Where will I get money to feed my family? How will I pay house rent? Will the bank take my car?… Bring these anxieties to your Father, because He cares for you. He uses situations like these to make us realize that we were never in control in the first place. Where are we placing our trust?

Jeremiah 17:5-8: “This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord . They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” “