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| Original painting for International China Concern |
When Gracie was just 9yrs old she came home from school very 'aspired' as she called it. When my children were little we always said bed time prayers together - I trust now my 3 teens do it of their own volition, I still tuck our youngest into bed. There is something so precious about those bed time conversations that I wish we could do it forever!
Gracie told me at bed time how she had seen that day at school the film," The Inn of Sixth Happiness" about the life of Gladys Alyward in China. How she had helped orphaned Chinese children escape from the Japanese invasion in China, of how Gladys helped get rid of the horrible 'foot binding' practises of baby girls & of how brave & courageous Gladys was. " I want to be like that, Mummy - I want to be a missionary".
Wow isn't that what every parent dreams of, having a child that sees the needs of others greater than their own, is inspired by selflessness and wanting to serve for a greater good. It also amazed me because as a teenager myself had devoured books by Amy Carmichael, Irish missionary to India who saved girls from Hindu temple prostitution & gave a new home & hope rescuing them from a lifestyle of poverty & despair. I too had a similar experience of 'aspiration and inspiration'! To hear Gracie's heart was a mother's delight.
As time travels, Gracie 2 years ago wanted to go to China with her school. Each year our school takes teams to work in an orphanage in China, do an exchange program in a Chinese school & walk the Great Wall. Grace was only in grade 7. Her Dad felt she was too young to go and suggested waiting until she was in grade 9 before going. Giving us 2 years to save the money required for the trip also.
Last year to start saving for this trip, Grace and I started a mother-daughter tupperware business. It was an opportunity for Grace to learn the effort required in working towards a financial goal. Our family & friends were very supportive and we were soon doing sometimes 3 parties a week, putting all proceeds in a special account towards her trip to China. Grace learnt how to present in public, how to do online ordering, how to pack, deliver, manage time between school, housework, how to basically run a small business.
I work full time, study part time & juggle the joys & challenges of single parenting. As much as I could see the tupperware was doing well, the benefits for Grace, in all honesty was struggling to keep up. A full day at work, home, cooking dinner, rushing out the door at night or on weekends to do tupperware parties, leaving behind the other 3 to fend for themselves. Family/work/life balance was getting out of hand.
My Thoughtful Princess could see this. She suggested we 'quit', give it up - I said not yet, we haven't reached our target amount. Gracie prayed unbeknown to me. She prayed of her own volition for God to make a way that Mummy didn't have to work so hard.
One evening at our local Church, a young woman gave me an envelope. I had only met this lady once before, she worked at the front desk of our school. Earlier that week I had dropped off a tupperware order to the front desk with a little business card & asked her to kindly give it to person it belonged too. Nothing more than that was said.
When I got home that night, opened the envelope to find a beautiful card & $500 cash! I nearly fell over! Instead I fell to my knees in tears. The card said that she had felt so moved seeing our little business card & hearing the story from her friend that Grace wanted to go to China & was selling tupperware to do so - that she felt compelled to give a financial gift!
This happened only days after Grace had prayed. When I showed Grace the card, the money, she too burst into tears. Not in sadness, but in praise of God for answering her heartfelt prayers. Faith arose in her heart.
Never underestimate the beauty of prayer or of encouraging our children to seek God, for surely in this world of such uncertainty & confusion to teach our children there is an anchor for their souls is a good thing to do!
Click on this link to view the work of International China Concern
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