The dampish room was lit by several bare light bulbs mounted in the middle of the ceiling. Happy school children lined up and eagerly held out their mugs. One after another stepped up until I had filled nearly 300 mugs with porridge. For many of these children, it is the only breakfast they have -thus being the reason for the many thank you's that were warmly offered.
When the last child's cup had been filled, the teacher standing nearby rattled something off in Kiswilhi. I quickly figured out what she must have said because another line rapidly formed as children with drained cups assembled for a refill. It wasn't long before the bucket of porridge was empty, but sadly there were still a few kids in line. My heart sank with theirs as the last drops walked away in another child's cup.
My mind immediately drifted back to the first time I had visited Brilliant Sharpening Community School. It was a chilly day in mid-July. As our team of seventeen had given hundreds of high five's and listened carefully as the director related the story and vision of Wells of Joy Ministries*, it was now time to serve the children lunch. I gladly volunteered for the job along with a few of my teammates. The scene was much like the one I already described but this time, the children lined up with colorful bowls anxiously awaiting their serving of rice and beans. As the last child's bowl was filled, a rush of children came for a second helping of grub, some having abandoned the bowls and just stretched out their little palms.
I will never forget the picture of the little hands reaching out for just one more bite and me holding an empty bucket unable to meet their hungering appeals. At that moment I realized two things.
First, I realized I have no idea what it genuinely means to be hungry, and not know when I will eat next. I was greatly humbled at that moment and begged God to forgive me for ever complaining about what I don't have, and wanting always to praise Him for every blessing He gives.
But as humbled and overcome with the harsh reality as I was, I was also thankful! Thankful that Jesus' bucket of rice and beans NEVER runs out. Thankful that God's supply NEVER runs low. Thankful that every time I reach out my hand for more He fills to overflow with His goodness.
I am reminded of Jesus and the Samaritan women in John chapter 4.
"Jesus said to her, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
When I drink and draw from my resources, I will always be left thirsty. When I try in my strength to get full on my rice and beans, I'm always left reaching for what will never fill me up. But as I learn to drink in deep the water of life drawing from it the fundamental strength for daily life, I find that I am indeed filled -that truly my thirst is quenched. And as this water of life springs up in me, in you, it is then that others can drink and be satisfied. They can be satisfied because we draw from a bucket of rice and beans that never runs out.
So today, let's reach out our hands for the rice and beans that Jesus gives unendingly. And as we are filled, let's give to others the only thing that can truly satisfy them -Jesus.
*Wells of Joy Ministries is the overarching name for several different ministry outreaches in the Lunga Lunga slums in Nairobi Kenya. Brillant Sharpening Community School being one of them.
