40 Ethiopian birr

Today I received my second letter from an Ethiopian girl I’m sponsoring through Compassion International. A while back I sent her money for a birthday gift--$25.

She writes back, “Thank you for your birthday gift. I bought sheep with 130, a pair of shoes with 40 Ethiopian birr. I also used the rest for celebration.”

Sheep. Not one sheep. Sheep plural. Shoes. And a celebration.

I’ve heard people talk about how much impact just $5 can have on a family, but her letter really felt like a taste of reality. Attached to the letter are two photos—one of them with my Ethiopian friend and a goat. One very real girl, who writes in a foreign language, who lives in Ethiopia.

It doesn’t take me very long to make $25, but it can have such an impact on someone like this girl and her family. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like tithing means much, because I don’t hear back or see any impact.

But in Ethiopia, just a small amount of money helped a great deal. I hope and pray that I will feel even more encouraged to give with my hands open, knowing that even if I can’t see the impact, it’s there.

“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”-1 John 3:17