Mattress

Brian's back has been really bothering him the last 3 weeks so we decided to break down and buy a better mattress than the cheap roll up mattress pad we were using on our bed. The queen size bed came with a mattress (shown in picutre) that is literally as hard as a rock:) So Brian bought this roll up pad that you can get from pillow stores here. We figured our housekeeper would want the old mattresses. When I asked her if she did she was beside herself, she even got tears in her eyes. Previously when we had visited their home I noticed that they only had one twin size bed although there are 4 adults that live there. I assumed the other 3 slept on the floor. When I offered her the mattress she told me that they sleep on a mat on the floor. I'm not really sure where they will put the mattress during the day because their home is not big enough to leave it out. I'm sure they will prop it up against a wall or something.

I share this not to demean her at all--but to give you a glimpse of what life is like for millions of people here. She is actually well off compared to others that live in tarp tents, concrete cyclinder block or sheet metal homes the size of an american bathroom.

Even though we are faced with poverty here everywhere we go, amazingly you can still distance yourself from it, especially when you have a nice home and luxeries to remove yourself from the reality of the world outside. I am so thankful for Vanajakshi and her family. It reminds me each day of the words Jesus says in Luke 6:20-26

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kindgom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. "

"But woe to you are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets."

I know that Vanajakshi, and millions others, will always be "poor" until they know the spiritual richness of our Father and I also know that thanks to the saving power of Jesus those who are "materially rich" and have these woes pronounced against them have a way to become "poor" by following Him and receive eternal "riches"! Thank you Lord!