Back during my childhood days, life was very difficult. Nice clothes, toys, candy treats, dolls..... almost anything a little girl ever dreamed of was scarce in my family. But I remember my childhood friends - beautiful sisters, who would always invite us over to their house to watch television and play during summer breaks. Not that they were rich but their parents were so sweet, gentle and kind. About ten neighbor kids would easily flock to their apartment at any given day and would block their window sill, some would be squatting by the door, the less shy ones would actually have their eyes flaming red for watching too close. TV was a rare commodity in many homes then. But Saturday morning would be 'THE DAY' for our favorite cartoon show 'Popeye.' My contemporary 'baby-boomers' would relate to this, I'm sure. I would not forget my friend's father, Mr. B whose gentle and smiling voice would greet us with a warm 'hello' when he came home from work in the afternoon. He would still have the energy to entertain us. And their mother was the sweetest and most caring person I could remember in our neighborhood. What they had on the table they would even share with us. One day, we saw them loading up a big truck with all their furnitures and stuff because they were moving to another place. That was one of the saddest days in the life of the neighbor kids because we would be missing not only our favorite tv shows but their extraordinary hospitality most of all. They loved us. We missed them a lot.
When we started feeding these children in our own neighborhood I knew then that they have the same feeling that I had as a kid. To be loved and cared for by other people is an unforgettable experience, especially for a little child. The memory of it brings lasting joy. I never forgot this childhood friend and her family to this very day.
Love is the only and most powerful way of winning over your enemies. Neighborly love wins. Love wins.
Something reminds me just now, something I have read...
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
" I gave you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you, you also
must love one another."
Wasn't it the greatest commandment ever written and given, that we love our neighbor as ourselves?
I pray that wherever you may be, whatever part of the world, whatever situation, whatever circumstances ... that you may have love not only for those whom you would naturally love like your families, and friends but also those whom you can reach out with compassion just as we have been commanded to.
As the song says, I need God, you need God, everyone needs to have this experience of the love of God and if we, as good neighbors can extend that love to others, HE said that we do it to no other but Him.
"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
"He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' Matt. 25 vv 40 & 45
Lastly, I have one more video to show to you, a shorter one I promise, that it may sum up the reason for why we are sharing to these little ones. I hope this speaks to you as well.
Please continue to keep us in your mind and in your heart as we plant the seeds, even as we maintain our eyes open towards the fields until we see a harvest for indeed they are ripe.
A fruitful and abundant week full of love be unto you. Thank you for your many prayers.
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