you choose

It's around 6:30am and I've been up for quite some time because I couldn't really sleep. Partly because since I came back from Rwanda my internal clock's been totally off. And partly because I'm just off, period. Rwanda has messed me up folks! It was a wonderful experience to go and work with street children in Rwanda (I was there from May 24-June 6), but it's also been extremely difficult adjusting back here. In so many ways God has been tremendously gracious with me as I make my way back home and I am grateful for all that He's showing and teaching me.

There are many stories to tell and many thoughts that are floating around my head. But for the sake of the blog world, I'll narrow this story to just one for right now. We were in Rwanda working at a boys home that was set-up for boys who used to live on the streets because they were orphaned by the genocide, AIDS/HIV, or extreme poverty. The man who established and runs that home is a genocide survivor who has a heart for reaching street children. They are AMAZING people and incredibly full of life and beauty!!

One of the days when we were at the boys home, we bought a bale of clothing and shoes to give to the villagers living in the surrounding area. The people who are living in the area are extremely poor and their living conditions are pretty awful. Most of the kids are filthy and have tattered clothing (if any). It's a hard thing to take in because they are the most beautiful children, with lively spirits, contagious laughter, and winning smiles. I just adore them!

In less than 10 minutes, the entire village had somehow heard about the clothing giveaway and was camped outside the boys home. I guess word travels fast when it comes to free clothes and shoes…and this is without the use of cell phones and internet ? It was quite the scene, people of all ages standing outside waiting to be called in 5 at a time to get clothes for either themselves or their kids. We would take the kids and walk them through the makeshift clothing stations…first get a shirt, then go get some pants, and lastly get some shoes and then we'd circle again with a different kid. The oddest thing that I kept noticing was as I would take the kids around and ask them "do you want the pink or red shirt?" and they would just nod or stare at me. I couldn't understand why it was so hard for them to choose. Was it the language? No, because I would hold two shirts up and point to them…using grandiose non-verbal gestures and actions, it was a pretty clear mime. Yet, I couldn't get any one of my kids to choose ever. At one point I just stopped and looked around and noticed that it was the same with the rest of my team…not one of us could get them to just pick between two items. It then all made sense. I'm not sure if you've ever experienced that before, but all of a sudden I had this acute sense of clarity. All the pieces fit. I realized then that they didn't know how to choose because they've never had to before. You see, they've never been given the opportunity or privilege to choose between items before. They owned one shirt. Maybe one pair of pants (maybe). And most were barefoot. There was never a choice! Here we are then, coming in and pointing to two shirts and saying "which one?" and they're just staring or nodding yes, not sure how to respond to such a question. It seemed absurd and just odd to make such an inquiry. I stopped asking right then and would just literally place shirts and pants in their hands and wrap their arms around it. I realized at that exact moment the gift of choice. You see, we are so incredibly privileged that choice is not even something we consider a gift. We wake up each and every morning and choose which shirt to wear with what pants or skirt. We choose what shoes to match the outfit, and what accessories would go with the rest of the ensemble. We choose the cologne, perfume, or body spray. All these choices most of us make daily and sub-consciously…and its all one big huge gift!! Crazy huh? …To think that our ability to choose speaks to the level of affluence that we have and I bet that most of us don't even realize or see it as such. I know I didn't. Our ability to choose, pick, select is a huge blessing in and of itself. Just the fact that you can choose is a gift!

So instead of being frustrated sometimes because of having to make those choices of what to wear, where to eat, where to go, etc…thank God for the opportunity and Gift of Choice. And let's go make some other good choices that make lasting impressions.

What will you choose today?