I just watched such a heartwrenching documentary.
Linda Shum, the founder of Eagles Wings Homes, is an Australian who runs 8 homes for severely disabled children in China. With the one-child policy in China, her interviewer noted that it is not uncommon for a disabled child to be abandoned.
She once worked as a primary school teacher. Soon after her husband retired from his role as a school principal, Linda told him that she wanted to start a home for orphans in China. Using most of their savings and the funds they raised, they had enough money to build their first home. Tragically, two weeks before the opening of their first home, her husband suffered a stroke and died. When he died, he left an insurance policy worth $50,000 and she used that money to build two more homes for these children.
In closing, she said these words that really shook me, making me realise that this is the sort of love Jesus called us to have for the poor:
Saving abandoned children in China is this Australian woman's hobby?
Man, I have so far to go and there's still a lot I need to learn about how to love others for God.
But I thank Him for all these amazing everyday examples around me.
And this is a good reminder of what a wise friend of mine pointed out to me recently: God really has a heart for the poor (not just the financially poor, but the afflicted, the weak, the ones in the lower ranks of society). Proverbs 19:17 says that those who are kind to the poor *lends* to God. I still cannot comprehend the thought of "lending" to God Almighty, and it just goes to show how important caring for the poor is to Him.
Here's to a new week where I really pray that I will be more in phase with God's heart, and out of phase with my own selfish heart.
Linda Shum, the founder of Eagles Wings Homes, is an Australian who runs 8 homes for severely disabled children in China. With the one-child policy in China, her interviewer noted that it is not uncommon for a disabled child to be abandoned.
She once worked as a primary school teacher. Soon after her husband retired from his role as a school principal, Linda told him that she wanted to start a home for orphans in China. Using most of their savings and the funds they raised, they had enough money to build their first home. Tragically, two weeks before the opening of their first home, her husband suffered a stroke and died. When he died, he left an insurance policy worth $50,000 and she used that money to build two more homes for these children.
In closing, she said these words that really shook me, making me realise that this is the sort of love Jesus called us to have for the poor:
Interviewer: Well, what would you be doing if you weren't doing this? (I'm guessing she's in her 60's!)
Linda: I don't know, but I think some people go fishing and play golf and do those things but I've never wanted to do that. And so, this is what I want to do.
Interviewer: Yeah, you save abandoned children in China.
Linda: Yeah, it's just my hobby. (And she lets out a light-hearted chuckle!)
Saving abandoned children in China is this Australian woman's hobby?
Man, I have so far to go and there's still a lot I need to learn about how to love others for God.
But I thank Him for all these amazing everyday examples around me.
And this is a good reminder of what a wise friend of mine pointed out to me recently: God really has a heart for the poor (not just the financially poor, but the afflicted, the weak, the ones in the lower ranks of society). Proverbs 19:17 says that those who are kind to the poor *lends* to God. I still cannot comprehend the thought of "lending" to God Almighty, and it just goes to show how important caring for the poor is to Him.
Here's to a new week where I really pray that I will be more in phase with God's heart, and out of phase with my own selfish heart.
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