Samuel

Samuel is a young man in his early 20’s that we met when he was employed by the OVC to do some carpentry work in our house. He recently completed carpentry training at the OVC and is just getting started in the workplace trying to find “piecework” around the village as he gets himself established. When we moved here he would spend many hours at our house working and often eat dinner with us and play with the kids. Maybe sometimes he spent as much time playing with the kids as doing carpentry work! Anyway, Rachel loves him and he is possibly her favorite person in Mwandi. Other than carpentry Samuel spends his time playing football (soccer) for the Mwandi team and is very good. 

Recently Samuel came to see me and I knew something was up. People only call ahead and make appointments when there is a need so I was wondering what was up when I saw him coming down the road. I had loaned Samuel 700 kwacha (less than $100) for his sister’s education and he was working to make the money to pay me back. His almost embarrassed look when he arrived made me suspect the visit was about this. 

It was, kinda. There had been a fire and the house that Samuel and his two younger brothers lived in had burned to the ground. The embarrassed look I had picked up came form the fact that the money Samuel had been lost in the fire and so there would be a delay in paying me back. It is painful to watch someone struggle with the telling of bad news that you can tell they would really rather not be bearing. He had not come to ask for something except patience and forgiveness really.

Alicia has such a heart for these things. She had decided to give him a blanket, mattress, mosquito nets, and clothes while I was still thinking we would be short a blanket and mattress that night! My heart finds the right place, but not as quickly as hers. We also told him to not worry about paying back the loan of course.

We loaded up the things in the truck and I drove Samuel “home”. No one knew how the fire started, but the thatch roof and stick and mud walls caught during the night and there was nothing left. 

The next week Samuel came by again and asked me shyly if I could give him a loan to start a small business in town so he could raise the money again to help his sister go to school. After discussing we loaned him 600 kwacha ($80) to buy goods to sell in a stand he would make himself. We made a plan to pay back 200 kwacha a month for 3 months and that has been a couple weeks ago. His stand is up and running and seems to be doing well. HIs sister runs the shop while he is in Livingstone doing small carpentry jobs.

Anyway, I tell this story to let everyone know what is going on and also to let you know that those of you who have supported us here support Samuel and others like him that we know. It is a joy to be able to give material blessings like this and tell Samuel that we are only able to do so because of Christian brothers and sisters in the US who are in support of the work we are doing here. So Samuel is loved and knows this love comes from the Father through His Church. I want to share that joy with you as it is yours also!

1John 3:17-18 says ‘If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and truth.’

God brings people to us He wants to love through us. Let us all pray we will walk close enough to Him to recognize the opportunities He gives us to be His hands and feet!!

-paul

Outside the house

Inside the one room mud hut.

The only picture of Samuel I had!  Doing the ceiling work with Ethan when we first came here.  He was so patient and encouraged the kids to "help" him!