"Each person should give what he or she has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under duty, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to help graceful-giving abound in you, so that in all things and in all times, you will abound in every good work... so you can be be generous on every occasion."
What do you see in the above picture? An attractively groomed "development worker" is standing in front of a cement cistern. A boy, presumably an orphan, is standing at the front door. Near the boy are scattered plastic tubs. You see a brick house, a tin roof and tin gutters on that roof. The tin gutters collect water and then drain that water into the large cement cistern, six feet tall and five feet in diameter. Lush green vegetation and tall trees can be seen in the background, indicating the presence and abundance of water.
Within this picture, we notice numerous resources for a grandmother who was sick the day a team from LWR visited her home. A person cannot comprehend the tragedy of caring for eighteen orphans, but we can imagine this grandmother praying to God day and night, asking for help.
God is answering her prayers and has given her several resources. For example, we heard that a health worker had taken this grandma to a medical clinic. So we know there were already two resources available to grandma: a health worker who was personally concerned for her welfare and a health clinic. Further, we know her brick house is better than a wooden house. Her tin roof is better than a thatched roof. Her rain gutters are better than no rain gutters. Her large water cistern to collect clean, safe, drinking rainwater is a sign that a strong institution like LWR is helping this grandma. The lush vegetation is a sign that she is not living in a desert or a place devoid of water.
We cannot comprehend the tragedy that is part of this grandma's life. Likewise, we cannot comprehend the ways that God has answered her continual prayers. Grandma has prayed night and day, and God has heard her prayers and miraculously answered her prayers time and time again.
Lutheran World Relief helps such widows and is an answer to prayer in many ways such as with "income enhancement." That is, grandma received a cow from LWR to improve her life. A cow can provide milk for her family and produce more cows. Grandma also can sell milk.
