Is it enough?

Is it enough?

The chief thing is to take the burden on one's shoulder. As you press forward, it soon shakes down and the load is evenly distributed. – St. Don Bosco

Last July we were able to visit Kevin and to see the life he has embraced as Salesian Lay Missionary. It was an opportunity that we will always remember. In preparation for the trip we went shopping with the intention to share it with the people of Gumbo, especially the kids. However we realized no matter how much we bought, it would not be enough. 

When we got there we realized no amount of gifts were enough; however, Sharing Christ’s love by being presence with them: holding their hands, letting the kids to sit in my lap as we pray rosary and at Mass, taking their pictures and then showing it to them and sharing meals was also a gift. Yes, they need money to buy medicine, food, and to pay for teachers, we should be more generous in helping them. But LOVE must be the center of all effort in helping them. 

Did we do our part in taking the burden on one’s shoulder, as Don Bosco said?

We have seen the pictures of malnourished African children and the difficult life of women and families as refugees or Internal Displaced People (IDP).  But those pictures didn't justify the severity of their condition as our eyes could see.

In spite life misery that we could see, we also encountered the bravery, the determination, the courage of the Salesian priests, brothers, nuns, and lay missionaries who are there, not just for short time but for many years, some 20 years or more. They left their hometown/ countries and their comfort to be there to help these people.

This is unheard off in our daily life, who always think and focus on how well we can better our life by having more things and buying more things. On the contrary, we witness through the story of these missionaries.

Their focus in their life is to make  better the life of others, to give more, to  help more, and to establish security so  the people are protected, to make sure  the children would be fed daily. They look for ways on how to improve the living condition of these South Sudanese people.

Would a few days there be enough to make a different? This was the question that stayed with us in Gumbo.

God gave us opportunity to be the Eucharist. We were ready to embrace the days with whatever we could do to help.

All that we have was ourselves, our time, our patience, our smile, our hands to hold them, our hands to hug, to wipe their tears to recognize their suffering, and every day we brought everything we had in prayers.

Would that be enough to lessen their burden, or to shake the load to make it even?

   

Our sacrifice will never be enough, our help will always be short, but one thing we possess that we always have abundantly is the love of God. Only with Christ, are we able to do all these things.

Pray for our Priests, Sisters, Brothers, and Lay Missionaries. They need our financial support as well.

“Do good while you still have time…….” - Don Bosco

Mary help of Christian……..pray  for us.

Blessings to you,

Don and Lena Kho