In a sanctuary turned classroom and gymnasium, over a bowl of chicken and rice, I leaned across the table and shouted over the music of children playing.
“A poll a few years back found that 80% of American pastors have never spoken on the subject of poverty. With their help,” I said, “we could serve so many more children.”
Pastor Manuel nodded, eyebrows raised. A balloon whizzed overhead cheered on by children laughing.
“If you could say anything to America’s pastors what would you say?” I asked.
He dropped his fork and fanned out three fingers, grabbing the first.
“First,” he said, “Jesus said we would always have the poor so that we would always have the opportunity to be generous, to be a blessing.”
He grabbed the first and second fingers together and leaned in closer.
“Second, the Bible teaches that everything we have is a gift from God. We are to be generous givers like our Father.” He smiled and looked up past the ceiling in gratitude.
“Third, when the poor receive gifts they will thank God and they will give to others. It is a cycle that will never end.”
It will never end.
I often think this. Boarding a plane to yet another country. Writing yet another blog post. Preaching at yet another church. Hearing my children speak yet another bedtime prayer to Heaven for children who don’t have beds and macaroni and cheese and clean water. I think This will never end.
And it feels like a sentence.
But not today.
It was an opportunity. I hope it always is to me.
An opportunity to receive from the Giver, give to the poor, and see the gift given again. And again.
An opportunity to be blessed to be a blessing.
Once my heart and belly were full, I pushed away from the lunch table and dangled kids by their feet and tickled their ribs…
…carried them…
…savored their cackling and songs and squeezes and chubby hands scribbling butterflies in crayon.
Thankful. Freed from the sentence of unending poverty into the opportunity of it.
Right now you have the opportunity to sponsor a child and be like the Giver. Please seize it.
And if you’re a pastor please tell your congregation what the bible says about poverty. Please. There’s so much more we could do together. We need your voice.
Amanda says:
Loved this, Shaun.
Kelly @ Love Well says:
Oh! I felt the hope rise in my heart and catch in my throat.
And it’s true. What a beautiful truth. God’s blessings are multiplied when they are shared.
Shaun Groves says:
Good. I’m glad the hope is coming through! Because there is a LOT of it here in Guatemala!
Lindsey Nobles says:
Love this. Loved watching you play with the kids today.
Terrell Welch says:
I thank God for the platform he has given you. May you always make HIS glory know!
Ann Voskamp says:
Why is that your heart can hurt so much it heals?
I am crying and I am laughing and there is so much light in the dark — you help me see.
*Thank you.*
Meredith Dunn says:
It’s not a sentence; it’s an opportunity. From frustration to joy and anticiaption, just like that. Awesome. Thank you, Shaun!
Sherry says:
WOW. Thanks for this. The power and conviction of this pastor’s heart comes through. He’s given us so much hope.
Lisa-Jo says:
These pictures have to be worth much much more than a thousand words!
Rebecca says:
Beautiful Shaun. Thanks for the reminder and the call. It is a joy to pray for you all and watch this trip unfold. Sometimes joy with many tears, but always joy.
Shaun Groves says:
Thank you for praying, Rebecca.
We are THAT family says:
So. Good. EVERY pastor should read this post. And preach THAT sermon.
Amy Sullivan says:
Thank you so much for sharing these pictures. The children are just beautiful…
Heather says:
So thankful I have a Pastor who does that. Often. And a Church that is extremely generous to the poor in our community, surrounding communities, and globally.
Bonnie Buckingham says:
Bring all of that back to the US and pour it into the slums, etc…and to churches!
Thanks for the great words you passed on.
Shaun Groves says:
That’s the plan!
emily freeman says:
It is good to see the hope today. Thank you.
Jenne says:
Awesome to hear a sermon from this Guatemalan pastor. Thank you for passing it on to us. Awesome to see the light of Christ in the faces of these photos as well…
QuatroMama says:
Thank you, Shaun, for continuing to challenge our hearts and our minds to RESPOND to poverty. Each trip that you each chronicle changes me.
Shaun Groves says:
Honored to do it. Thanks for the encouragement.
Kristen says:
Love this. Thank you.
debra parker says:
“Third, when the poor receive gifts they will thank God and they will give to others. It is a cycle that will never end.”
a beautiful word.
Kelli says:
So simply said.
So deeply moved.
So excited to make some changes to do more.
christina brown says:
Thank you, this is beautiful. We need to be reminded.
Sharon O says:
I have been so moved by these blogs.
Yours, Anns and the others. Little faces so sweet and vulnerable. I cried tears over the words. I saw the depth of the blogs and felt the words of intensity.
Thank you for sharing…
Thank you for opening our hearts.
May God bless your ministry and the families you saw and spent time with.
God be with them.
From a reader in Oregon
Vicki Small says:
What a great 3-point sermon, and delivered in – what? – 1 minute? May I use that in the Compassion pages on our church’s website? One of the sub-pages is for quotes from pastors.
Kristen says:
Shaun, thank you for shining Light for us. We need your message. You make your Father proud!
Hilda says:
U R TOTALLY CORRECT!
We sponsor a child in Peru, Africa and India AND LOVE IT!!!
Jenny says:
Impossible not to be changed when God’s word is spoken. And while 4 out of 5 of our family have been on mission trips to other parts of the world, there is something about this place that speaks to us…..always Jesus making Himself known……through the tears, the grime, the tin roofs but mostly through the love expressed on beautiful smiling faces.
My daughter and I eagerly await our introduction packet for the newest member of our family.
Jessie Gunderson says:
Turning kids upside down and tickling is my husband’s recipe for fun too. 😉 Great post! Even though it’s an older post I’m Tweeting in hopes that more will read.