It is better to give than receive. I know this cliché phrase. I believe it. I say it, and during greediness, I think, “no way, this is all mine!” Then I give or buy something for someone, and I think, “this is such fun!”
I had some visitors a couple weeks ago who stayed at my house. They thought they needed to bring me gifts to equal out the free room and roof over their heads. I was on the receiving end. Boy, did I receive! I received whipping cream in a can (didn’t even know they had this in Tamale), cheese sprinkle for popcorn (heaven!), caramel sauce (didn’t know they had this in Tamale also), and a beautifully written calligraphy thank you card. I was so thankful. I love me some goodies, I think we all do. I enjoyed these things.
But, when I am able to give here, there is this sprinkle of somethin’-somethin’ in my heart that makes me want to do it more. Joy floods out. I have to remember that response of the Spirit in me so that I will keep on doing it.
Samuel talked about helping the Bible Study women with something. He suggested getting each one a hen. I was like…a hen? I have had up to 20 women come to Bible study. 20 hens?? We took attendance the next month to make sure women who get hens are really coming and taking part. Yep, about 20.
I had money from some peeps at home who told me to give it to women. I put money aside every month to add to that. And we had money from the motorking account to use. And we left it up to the women to pay to get a chicken vaccination on their own. (Yes, chickens are vaccinated too 😊.) So, let’s buy these hens!
We needed to do it during rainy season, which started in June, because it gives the hens a better chance of survival with all the grass and plants available. From November to April it is very dry and hardly any greens to find.
The leader of the church went to several markets to find enough hens. In the end, we had to give money to several women to buy their own because there was some sort of hen shortage…or they were too expensive.
But 20 ladies got hens!! They all shook my hand thankfully. We took pictures together. (And as of yesterday, 2 months since they received the gift, their hens are still alive and running around. Two ladies even told us that their hen laid eggs and hatched 7 chicks. YAY!!)
We talked about how starting with a small hen can be used for the Lord. I tied it together with the parable of the talents that we studied.
When Samuel and I drove off we were so pumped, it was so cool to hand them the hens. The Spirit in us produced JOY and it was overflowing!! We were laughing and wishing we had more things to give away!
