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RSSJuly 4, Proper 9
by the Rev. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton for ERD
7/4/2004
Isaiah 66:10-16
Psalm 66 or 66:1-8
Galatians 6:(1-10)14-18
Luke 10:25-37
"Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God has come near to you.'" -- Luke 10:8 (NRSV)
Abel is not the only child in Kitwe whose mother has died. Kitwe has the highest incidence of AIDS in Zambia. He is not the only one living with an aunt, either: his aunt and uncle, who had four other children, took him in when his mother died in 1999 and his dad could no longer care for him. For a while, it was a stable arrangement, but then Abel's uncle died in 2000. Now Aunt Justina sells charcoal and vegetables all by herself. She feeds the six of them on what she earns doing that. I guess Aunt Justina is what we mean when we talk about a hero.
Could we do that? Would we? Take in a fifth child, when we could hardly feed the four we had? Each of us must answer that question for ourselves, and my heart is heavy at the very thought. May we never be in a position to find out for sure.
But this courageous woman has an important friend in faraway America: Episcopal Relief and Development is partnering with the local Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation to provide food, education and medical care for the children of Kitwe. At Abel's school, the Mary Sikaneta Pre-school, a balanced meal is provided every day for every student, and more food goes home to Aunt Justina for the family. Abel and his cousins receive free medical care at the clinic.
Little Abel loves his school, and he works hard at his lessons. He will have more education than the aunt who has saved his life, whom he also adores, and to whom he clings a little - Abel can never be sure that the people he loves will stay in his life.
For now, Abel eats what is set before him: physical food, of course, but also the education that will give him a chance for a better life. Like Jesus' disciples, he is fueling himself for the work he will do. Perhaps he will go on to become a teacher, or a doctor or some other minister of God's healing power. He will never forget Aunt Justina. He may not even know about us: the people on the other side of the world, who helped her help him grow up.
Episcopal Relief and Development saves lives and builds hope in communities around the world. We provide emergency assistance in times of disaster. When the immediate crisis is over, we rebuild devastated communities and offer long-term solutions in the areas of food security, health care, and HIV/AIDS.
