A Small Gift from a Giant of a Person

She was in the first Bible translation software course I taught. She stood out in her beautiful, colorful dresses. I remember how much she struggled to learn the material.

She had been sitting in the front row during this entire follow-up course, again struggling to stay abreast of the presented modules. Always wearing a smile, she constantly asked others around her for help, but had a dogged determination to understand the Bible translation software I was teaching.

Today, at the end of the last day of formal instruction, she approached me slowly and whispered in my ear. “I have a little present for you and the other facilitator but,” she said inching a little closer to my ear, “it’s not a lot.” She sounded rather embarrassed. I thanked her quietly, but told her that a gift was not necessary. “I’ll be right back,” she continued and walked off.

Moments later she returned and carefully set a black plastic bag on my table. I carefully opened it to find two green apples. For many, two apples of any color is inconsequential. For her, it was a sacrificial gift of love and appreciation and I was humbled, quickly reminded of the woman in the Bible that gave not out of her abundance, but out of supply.

Sometimes I am frustrated with the lack of progress in our work,  until I return overseas and observe our colleagues diligently serving not with much, but with so very little. And sometimes it takes just an apple to be reminded that our overseas brothers and sisters give not a little, but so very much.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve.