Blessed to Bless

I'm feeling inspired. Stirred up.

When people are using their lives to be blessings to other people I get excited.  It makes me remember that we are capable of good.

I read on an email devotional something along these lines, "I am blessed to be a blessing."

It made me think.  It made me pray.  Then my eyes began to catch glimpses of this very idea.  Like when I wear a piece of shiny jewelry and it catches the sunlight, I began to see people and hear people talk about the way they live this out.  So, I decided since it is November, I would take the next few posts to mash up opportunities of thanks and giving....


Today, I am thankful to have the privilege of knowing a beautiful woman named Juli.  She has been living in Kenya for a number of years being a blessing.  She recently founded a ministry call Living Room Ministries.  Through her vision and the help of others, Kimbilio Hospice was built.  It is a 24 bed inpatient hospice that houses adults and children living with terminal illness.


Last weekend I had the privilege of hearing Juli tell stories about the people she has the honor of blessing.  Every once in a while we get to hear what has been going on at Kimbilio (which means refuge in Swahili)  at Hillside Community Church when she visits the states.


Two things she said that day have been dancing around my head since her words fell on my ears.


1)  She talked about the fact that access and availability of pain medications, such as morphine, are a major challenge in Kenya.  She shared, "For a population of nearly 40 million people, it is reported that only seven of Kenya's approximate 250 government hospitals have morphine."


When I was pregnant with the Little Man I had to rush to the hospital one afternoon because of some unrelenting stomach pains.  They hurt me so badly.  The doctor gave me a dose of morphine and the pain went away.  They were never able to diagnose the problem but Little Man was fine and it seemed I was too.

The number of cancer patients in Kenya is climbing.  Cancer is painful.  It is chronically painful.  I can't help but think about how desperate people are just to manage their pain...and how without a second thought I was able to have mine relieved.


Juli said that morphine is actually very inexpensive to provide...about $5.  That is one less Starbucks drink.  Imagine...$5 can offer relief.  This has stirred me.


2)  Juli told a story about a mother who traveled over 100 miles to get her son to a well-known herbalist that is near Kimbilio in Kipkaren.  The little boy had a tumor appear on his face and his mother had heard that this herbalist may be able to do something for them.  After a long journey for help none was found with the herbalist.  The mother, not knowing where to go, caught a ride on the back of a motor bike.  The driver told her he would take her to a place where they help people...where people get healed.  He took her to Kimbilio.  You can read the full story here.



As Juli was talking all I could think about was the name of her ministry...The Living Room.  She had envisioned it to be a place that would offer compassion and care to the dying...what she did not know at the time was that God had so much life he would bring to those who came to her.  When you hear her tell stories of people who came and were healed, people who came and were loved and left this world you can't help but be moved.


Her flier says, "On a daily basis the Living Room team extends compassion to the lives of the lonely and forgotten that God has never been able to forget."


God's words, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," have been very present in my life since September 14th of this year.  That day I realized how fragile life is, how bad people can be but also through so many, how much good can come from pain, heartache and dire circumstances.


Juli reminds me that I have been given today and that makes me capable of giving.  I can give my children hugs.  I can give my husband my support.  I can give the man who digs in the trash every trash day my bag of recyclables so he doesn't have to dig in one more can.  I can give up my Starbucks tomorrow so my neighbor on the other side of the ocean can be relieved of pain.  I can give more.  There are opportunities everywhere, everyday I am given.


I don't know about you but I have been making a mental Christmas list.  I have been thinking about what I want and need...now, I am not saying presents are wrong...but what if I needed and wanted a little less this year?  Maybe I could be a blessing to someone else. 


450 of you read my Glad Game post where I told the story of what happened on September 14th.  If 450 people follow this link to Living Room Ministries and give $5 each that is $2,250.  That's a lot of Morphine...that's a blessing.

Kimbilio "Refuge"

Chepchumba
On March 4th, this little girl arrived to Kimbilio Hospice. 8 years old and weighing a mere 13 pounds. Special feedings, medical treatment and constant care were implemented; and by God’s grace, she has come back to life.