So Richly Blessed: Blind Assotiation

So I get to spend time with the Blind Assotiation every Thursday morning. This is when their weekly food supply is distributed as well as a small Bible study and social time. This population is very often forgotten in this culture and to get together weekly and talk about life is a treat. I enjoy it too, although it can be tiresome because there are so many needs and they are always asking for things, like last Thurday, a young women asked me to buy her some expensive hair. This was one of the many requests that I decided to say "no" to, but sometimes there are legitamate requests that need to be heard.

Worship

Receiving their corn flour in bags

Outside

This gentlemen received his bag of food, plus for two other blind and has hailed a taxi to take him home.

This Assotiation has enough funding to feed 81 blind. (with a waiting list) That means they get just enough corn flour to survive, no vegetables or fruit or nutrition. But they do recieve a portion of corn four which they cook with hot water and it turns into a sort of grits type food, but make no mistake, it has no flavor like our grits, but they seem to like it that way, when possible they serve it with greens and that is where the flavor comes. Anyway, they receive the corn flour and two small peices of bread for the week. This is down because they lost funding for three peices a week like they got last year. Which is a matter of $10 a week. $10 buys 100 peices of bread. This week I will buy the extra bread, but I'm putting the request out there for you to consider a donation to the blind assotiation.

Everytime I want to give I hear people saying it's not good to give, you are only creating dependancy, but let's remember that the blind are dependant in a culture like this, and the Bible says in Matthew 31-46 when it is talking about the end and Jesus is evaluating if we did or did not feed the hungry and cloth the naked, it says, "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me."

Besides the bread issue, this week the president (also blind) came to me with another valid request. They are asking for folding walking sticks. I have looked into it and they are nowhere to be found here in Angola. I mean, the president does have one, but it was brought in from Europe some time ago. So I realize that as a reader of our blog we have lot's of disturbing images, and lot's of requests. I really don't want to lose anyone as a reader, so please if you do not feel the Spirit leading you to help with any of our request, just read and move on with your life. Or you can commit to pray for the needs. We appreciate you reading, I don't want to weigh anyone down. But if you are moved by the Spirit to contrubute, then listen and follow through.

I know nothing about folding walking sticks, except what I've googled, so I'm searching for those who know more, and if you feel like sending over a box or two of folding walking sticks I know at least 81 poeple, whose lives will be changes for the better. I've watched many of you collect hundreds of glasses for our ministry! We are amazed, how sending out one blog can change the lives of Angolan. So thank you and continue with me in our grand pursuit of emulating the heart of God.

On a lighter note, Oliver has started school here at a private Portuguese speaking school. He is still really struggling with the Language, so please pray for him.