Luke 21: 1-4 “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
To me, this is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. It also happens to be one of the most relevant to my time here in Rwanda. This is a country of generosity, hospitality, and giving. The majority of people don’t have much, but they are always more than happy to share what they do have. I wish everyone in the world could have this kind of mindset.
During orientation, we had a session about how Rwandese see gift giving as tangible proof of a relationship. If you are friends with someone, you give them a gift, if you go to someone’s home for a meal, you bring something to contribute, and so on. There is always some kind of exchange. A perfect example of this would be Mama Kidumu, a good friend of ours. She is always visiting people, she knows everyone and treats them as though you’re a long-lost sibling, and she’s very patient with my still small vocabulary in Kinyarwanda (she doesn’t speak English). Mama Kidumu is always giving something to someone. Her time and really any favor that she can think of, like making juice, cooking a meal, or teaching us how to wash clothes, are often offered. One time during orientation, we brought her to dinner with us, before my cohort and I left for our site placements, and she gave each of us our own personalized bag of peanuts. Mama Kidumu does not have much, and this little brown bag was filled with her own “copper coins”. It was truly humbling. She is an amazing woman.
With an example like Mama Kidumu, I have been learning to give where I can as well. She teaches by example. Although several gifts that I’ve given haven’t been very tangible (like singing in the choir, or helping to cook a meal – two things I’m not particularly the best at), I’m often reminded that I have so many skills and assets I can share. When I went to visit my friend Davis and his family, I remembered that Mama Davis liked to sew, so I brought her a rainbow of sewing thread that I brought with me from America. Gifts don’t have to be valuable, or big. They just have thought behind them to be meaningful.
Everyone has something that they can contribute. I wish more people could understand the meaning of giving where you can. Or giving just to give. No ulterior motive, just as an expression of love and relationship. Imagine how much better the world could be.
To me, this is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. It also happens to be one of the most relevant to my time here in Rwanda. This is a country of generosity, hospitality, and giving. The majority of people don’t have much, but they are always more than happy to share what they do have. I wish everyone in the world could have this kind of mindset.
During orientation, we had a session about how Rwandese see gift giving as tangible proof of a relationship. If you are friends with someone, you give them a gift, if you go to someone’s home for a meal, you bring something to contribute, and so on. There is always some kind of exchange. A perfect example of this would be Mama Kidumu, a good friend of ours. She is always visiting people, she knows everyone and treats them as though you’re a long-lost sibling, and she’s very patient with my still small vocabulary in Kinyarwanda (she doesn’t speak English). Mama Kidumu is always giving something to someone. Her time and really any favor that she can think of, like making juice, cooking a meal, or teaching us how to wash clothes, are often offered. One time during orientation, we brought her to dinner with us, before my cohort and I left for our site placements, and she gave each of us our own personalized bag of peanuts. Mama Kidumu does not have much, and this little brown bag was filled with her own “copper coins”. It was truly humbling. She is an amazing woman.
With an example like Mama Kidumu, I have been learning to give where I can as well. She teaches by example. Although several gifts that I’ve given haven’t been very tangible (like singing in the choir, or helping to cook a meal – two things I’m not particularly the best at), I’m often reminded that I have so many skills and assets I can share. When I went to visit my friend Davis and his family, I remembered that Mama Davis liked to sew, so I brought her a rainbow of sewing thread that I brought with me from America. Gifts don’t have to be valuable, or big. They just have thought behind them to be meaningful.
Everyone has something that they can contribute. I wish more people could understand the meaning of giving where you can. Or giving just to give. No ulterior motive, just as an expression of love and relationship. Imagine how much better the world could be.