As I am getting ready to head out for a walk on this blustery November day, I pull on my favorite socks, always a reminder for me to thank God for my blessings.

As I was walking, my thoughts kept going back to Eburru and my last visit there.

Pastor Steve and I did several home visits.

One visit keeps coming back to me time and time again.

It was the last visit of the day and it was already getting dark by the time we arrived to the home of Mary and her family.

Mary, a young wife and mother, had been in church the previous Sunday and had come forward to accept Christ in her life.

Steve knew the family was struggling so he wanted to bring some food and spend some time with them.

So many of the families we saw live in such poor conditions, but this home was by far the worst I had seen.

Just a tiny mud hut, where Mary, her husband Andrew, and their small toddler lived.  They had tried to insulate the walls with flour sacks and the furniture were just metal frames covered with cardboard.

The little boy was so filthy I wanted to pick him up and bring him home to wash him and feed him.

The husband told us he was using drugs and he desperately wanted to stop and start taking care of his family.

He was telling us he was the only one using, that his wife was not.

But one look at the wife told quite a different story.

And it was obvious that she was also pregnant with another child.  Andrew went outside and burned the drugs he had and the entire family came to church the following Sunday.

Pastor Steve and Mary promised to keep a close eye on the family.

It is so hard to see such devastating poverty and despair, and the question that keeps coming back is; what can we do to change it?

The answer is simple; education for the children so they can have a chance for employment and be able to break the circle of poverty.

Pastor Steve and Mary has a vision to change the future for these children and the next step is a high school.

And they need our help!!

I heard the saying; give till it hurts.  I am still working on that.  I think of the woman Jesus told us about, who gave her last pennies.  I think of Steve and Mary who gave up their comfortable jobs and home and I wonder…what will it takes for us to give until it hurts?

Could it be that we forfeit our Christmas gifts this year and give to build a future for those kids instead?

I will work on my courage.  Will you join me?

Rannveig.