Team NWB

Her jet black hair, swept into a french twist, framed her lovely, chiseled face. She wore pencil jeans, a loose navy sweater and ripped canvas shoes.  Three of her four children sprawled across the cement walkway, playing a game.  Her cardboard sign read:
I lost my job
4 kids
need money for rent
God Bless You.

Salomé pleaded with her big, brown eyes.  "Shall we buy her groceries?" I asked, in answer to her silent question.  "Yes!" came her exuberant response.

We borrowed an hour for the errand, one I didn't think we could spare, until the sign drew us from our tasks.  As we approached the foursome, I held one bulging paper sack in each hand, while Salomé carried steaming coffee and sandwich wraps.  I lifted each bag as a sign of offering and her youngest boy ran to us.  He struggled to lug a bag to his siblings.  I gave her a hug and said, "I'm so sorry for your hardship, I'm Grace...I love God, and you'd probably do the same thing for me if we switched places.  Caring for children is tough...we have eight. We'll pray for you..."  I turned to the boys and thanked them for being obedient to their mother.  She smiled and introduced herself, then said, "God Bless you!"

Back in the car, Salomé asked from what country she'd originally come.  I was unsure, but her accent reminded me of a Pakistani friend I once knew.  "Does she mean God Bless You or Allah Bless You?" Salomé wondered, in reference to our home school studies of the Middle East/Asia and Islam.  Our conversation on the way home was packed.  Most importantly, I expressed that though we knew very little about the woman, it didn't matter.  She communicated a need and we had the opportunity to help her along the way, as a result of Salomé's kind-hearted look!  Whatever circumstances drew her to stand on the street corner, the details were not ours to pursue.  But serving her?  That we could do!

In our mailbox, late this afternoon, we found a mailing from Doctors Without Borders, containing a marvelous map strewn with pinpoint circles of all the places in which they minister.  It is a perfect example of what we hope our crew understands.  In their young lives, we begin teaching them to love people by attempting to be Neighbors Without Borders.

Yesterday,  Emmaus said, "God made each of us able to do different things, so that we could have teamwork!"  Exactly!  When he asked to be in this picture, I remembered his words.  Between us, our crew, you and yours, we are an excellent team of N.W.Bs!