Whatever you have done for the least of these...

Hi Everybody. It’s Lorenda here again.
Today was another great day. We are so thankful for God’s goodness and protection every single day. We don’t ever want to take it for granted! Please keep praying- we need your prayers every moment of every day.
Greg was working today since he found a problem yesterday, but didn’t have the parts to fix it so he had to go back today. I needed to get out and get some exercise (because hauling babies around 10-12 hours a day 5 days per week isn’t enough!) There is an Italian Supermarket that we have driven by many times and it seemed pretty close to our apartment when we were driving so I decided to walk there today. It really isn’t very far, only a 20 minute walk each way. The problem is that everything in this city is uphill -remember those stories about our parents walking uphill both ways to school, it’s real here! On the way to the supermarket, I had a long, gradual incline for about 2/3 of the way and then a steeper downhill leg to get me to the market.
However, on the way home the steeper part is uphill and I really wasn’t looking forward to it on this hot, humid morning. Sometimes God chooses to distract us from ourselves and our pity party though. Just as I was starting to feel sorry for myself and my quads, God started to show me what was going on around me. There was the cart that I buy my pineapples and mangoes from- I thought about buying some, but didn’t want to carry them in addition to the purchases I had made at the supermarket. (Side note- I need to learn how to carry things on my head. It seems like a far more efficient system!)
As I continued on up the road, I saw two children and their mother standing in the drainage ditch that runs along the road. These ditches drain away the water when it rains. I don’t know if they are supposed to have sewage in them, but sometimes, they are pretty gross. Fortunately, the one they were in was quite clean, but the children and mother were in clothes that were dirty and not in the best repair. As I was walking by the Lord prompted me to stop and talk with them. I spoke to the older child first and asked her how she was. The mom translated to the child and told her to say “Fine”. I asked the mom what each of the children’s names were and also asked her what her name was. She seemed surprised that I was even interested and had even stopped to talk to them. I then noticed that she had a small stand of bananas that she was selling. I asked how much for the bananas- 5000 shillings (less than $2.00), which was very overpriced, but I didn’t care. After I bought the bananas, she asked if I had any work that she could do for me because she and her husband needed money. I told her that I was sorry, but I didn’t have any work for her, I thanked her for the bananas, said good bye to her and the children and started to walk away. I got about three steps further up the hill before the tears started rolling down my cheeks.
I have read all the books about how we are not helping anyone by just giving them things, but it is so real here and it is so “in your face” ALL THE TIME. I so desperately wanted to run back and give her all the money that I had with me. Please pray that we will know how to react in these situations. The Bible tells me, “Whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done for Me.” How do I balance that with not enabling people in bad behaviour?
Please pray for this woman, Susan and her children, Jocelyn and Vicky. Please pray that if I am to do something more for these people, God will cause them to cross my path again and He will show me what I am to do for them.
I was worried a while ago that I had lost my compassion for the people here because driving down the street didn’t upset me the way it did on our previous visits. I now know that was God protecting me from being an absolute basket case every day for ten months. Now I just need to know what to do when He does bring these people specifically into my path.