Goat Money.
Gianna is taking a Geography class on Tuesdays at a church, which she loves, loves, loves!
She had surgery on a Thursday, and on the following Tuesday she insisted on going to class, even though she was in a tremendous amount of pain.
I stayed with her in her class to keep her safe, and I am so thankful I did. The class "went" to Uganda and met a girl named Beatrice in their story.
Beatrice is a real girl, who could not afford to go to school. Her family was given a goat, and she milked it every day and sold the milk at the market. Eventually, Beatrice had enough money to go to school.
The teacher told the children that the semester service project was to buy a $70 goat so that another child in Uganda might go to school. She suggested earning a dime or a quarter for odd jobs, and maybe the class could buy a goat or possibly chickens by the end of the semester.
Gianna came home exhausted, hurting and starving and asked for a red plastic cup. She went upstairs to her bedroom and promptly emptied the entire contents of her piggy bank into that red cup.
Just 5 days post op, she shows me her goat money, and asks to do chores to earn more.
The first week she proudly carried $15 dollars to class and carefully transferred it into the goat fund. She glanced down at the empty red cup and said, "Well, I guess I'll have to fill it up for next week."
And she did.
On Sunday she went around the room and sweetly asked each family member if they wanted to contribute to her goat fund.
She may or may not have looked into her cup after a donation and said, "What else?"
She has made beds, washed cars, unloaded dishwashers, cleaned and re-organized her room, and fold laundry all for a child in Uganda she has never met.
She is DRIVEN for goat money, and her generous heart has touched even my son's college age friends. One night while my son was in town the guys came over for a card game. Don't you know that they too had goat money for one four year old little girl?!?
Her sister has also emptied her piggy bank to help Gianna reach her goal.
You see, Gianna doesn't want to help buy a goat. She wants to buy HER OWN goat.
For another child.
Across the world.
She will never meet.
One day after we had finished counting her earnings for the week, she looked at me and said, "Mommy, can you believe a four year old girl like me can buy a goat for another little girl?"
Yes my sweet girl I can believe it. I have seen love in action through a compassionate, tender-hearted four year old child that I am blessed to call my own.
And Lord may we all have the same heart- To empty our piggy banks for another. To choose to do EXTRA to our own hurt. To have the zeal to make a difference if only in the life of one.
"Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." Deut 15:10
She had surgery on a Thursday, and on the following Tuesday she insisted on going to class, even though she was in a tremendous amount of pain.
I stayed with her in her class to keep her safe, and I am so thankful I did. The class "went" to Uganda and met a girl named Beatrice in their story.
Beatrice is a real girl, who could not afford to go to school. Her family was given a goat, and she milked it every day and sold the milk at the market. Eventually, Beatrice had enough money to go to school.
The teacher told the children that the semester service project was to buy a $70 goat so that another child in Uganda might go to school. She suggested earning a dime or a quarter for odd jobs, and maybe the class could buy a goat or possibly chickens by the end of the semester.
Gianna came home exhausted, hurting and starving and asked for a red plastic cup. She went upstairs to her bedroom and promptly emptied the entire contents of her piggy bank into that red cup.
Just 5 days post op, she shows me her goat money, and asks to do chores to earn more.
The first week she proudly carried $15 dollars to class and carefully transferred it into the goat fund. She glanced down at the empty red cup and said, "Well, I guess I'll have to fill it up for next week."
And she did.
On Sunday she went around the room and sweetly asked each family member if they wanted to contribute to her goat fund.
She may or may not have looked into her cup after a donation and said, "What else?"
She has made beds, washed cars, unloaded dishwashers, cleaned and re-organized her room, and fold laundry all for a child in Uganda she has never met.
She is DRIVEN for goat money, and her generous heart has touched even my son's college age friends. One night while my son was in town the guys came over for a card game. Don't you know that they too had goat money for one four year old little girl?!?
Her sister has also emptied her piggy bank to help Gianna reach her goal.
You see, Gianna doesn't want to help buy a goat. She wants to buy HER OWN goat.
For another child.
Across the world.
She will never meet.
One day after we had finished counting her earnings for the week, she looked at me and said, "Mommy, can you believe a four year old girl like me can buy a goat for another little girl?"
Yes my sweet girl I can believe it. I have seen love in action through a compassionate, tender-hearted four year old child that I am blessed to call my own.
And Lord may we all have the same heart- To empty our piggy banks for another. To choose to do EXTRA to our own hurt. To have the zeal to make a difference if only in the life of one.
"Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." Deut 15:10
What a love she is!
ReplyDeleteAnd make sure she gets on the finance committee/stewardship committee...she'd have a church's missionaries/service budget up to date in no time!
Love ya
Anne (Still giggling over the 'what else?' picture in my head!
I am SO proud of that girl!
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible child! No doubt God has BIG plans for her! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious soul she is,the envy of every grandparent and the apple of God's eye. Just bundle her up and send her on over (or send her with Grandma!). The goat story and her concern and love for the child she doesn't know is very touching. Can't wait to hear how she and Aria are going to bond with their new sisters. We know it will be love at first sight. Wish we could be there!
ReplyDelete