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Numb




On my recent trip to Mutarara with ASAM, the celebration had ended and we were just about to leave the village.  I was told that someone wanted to give us something for the mission, to say thank you. Well my background informed me to get ready to accept a cheque. We gathered in a semi circle and a young man stood before us clutching an old worn back pack. Large cheque I thought! He opened the bag and out popped a live chicken. Oh  this is interesting - where in my training was I prepared for this? So I took my lead from my friend Joao and the young man told his short but eventful story.

He wanted to give us a chicken to say thank you for showing care. 
He wanted to say thank you to the mission for the help they gave, when his wife was pregnant with their child.
He wanted to say thank you, for helping him after his wife died after giving birth.
He wanted to say thank you to the mission for giving milk for the child after the birth.
He wanted to say thank you, after this, his only child, died, and the mission somehow continued to show him help. 
This young man who had lost his wife and child wanted to say thank you for the help the mission had given him. 
I received the chicken and prayed for the young man, feeling numb and humble.




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