Richness

Richness. Even though we're in a land consumed by poverty, richness surfaces in places when we look for it, and when it doesn't, we create it.  It's not until one is amongst poverty, in the midst of it, that we can understand a glimpse of just how destructive it is. Poorness robs people of so much more than opportunity.  It robs them of pleasure, of comfort, of time, of fun, of education, of freedom.  It robs constantly and only in fleeting moments does it let up. This breaks our hearts.  We have to believe that being Light in this surrounding darkness is doing something - something to alleviate the heaviness of these hearts - something to bring a piece of the Kingdom here amongst them - something to bring Hope and Love that pierces this unseen barrier they're trapped in - something to create richness.

Recently I was teaching in one of our poorer villages about the 2 kingdoms: God's and the opposing one. I asked this group of children and adults, hearing and deaf, several questions leading up to the establishment of these 2 kingdoms.  One of the children knew that Genesis is the first book in the Bible. I asked, "Who taught you that?" to which she looked at me as if I was asking her an absurd question. One of the adults answered, "Signs of Love because you always teach us the bible."  That moment right there sums up richness.

At Signs of Love, we get to look for richness, and when it cannot be found, we create it. Richness is a sign that the barrier is being pierced, and Hope has arrived.  We are blessed, and oh so rich!