Guest Blog -Pastor Paul Gilbert, Grace Fellowship, Buffalo, Wyoming
I always enjoy looking at the Give Hope website or Facebook page. I continually find one common denominator; lots of smiles! A smile is an expression denoting pleasure, contentment, happiness, and joy. The smiles of the children of Give Hope are not with just their mouth and lips, but with their eyes and ears. If you want to see a grimace or anxiety on the face of a child, then Give Hope is not for you.
These are smiles of hope as the students are being taught, being loved and given purpose. These are smiles of contentment because the children are being cared for and nourished with good food and clean water. Their contentment is not only physical, but emotional and spiritual. The smiles you see are smiles of confidence as they are learning mathematics and other subjects that will help them not only graduate, but have employment when they reach the job market age.
The smiles are contagious because the student always see Willy Ouma (Founder and CEO) and the rest of the staff smiling. The staff is smiling because they are living by faith, trusting God to provide for them and they know His faithfulness. They are smiling because of the joy that comes from making a difference in a child’s life.
I think Jesus smiled a lot. He smiled because he was often surrounded by children. In Matthew 19:14 (ESV) Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” I think Jesus not only smiled, but each child He touched had a huge grin cross his or her face.
How about you? Do you smile enough? Often? Not so much? That could change for you! Check out how the Amplified Bible translates, 2 Corinthians 9:7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. What a wonderful thought! When I give with a smiling heart and make a difference at Give Hope Ministries, not only will a child smile, I will to.