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What difference can $1 make?

What difference can $1 make
Before she left for Swaziland this past summer, I gave Kati Bailey a dollar and asked her to invest it somewhere while she was there and report back to me. I forgot that I’d done this, but last night, Kati showed up on Facebook with her report. Here’s what she wrote about it: Well… I tho…
By Seth Barnes
By Seth Barnes
Before she left for Swaziland this past summer, I gave Kati Bailey a dollar and asked her to invest it somewhere while she was there and report back to me. I forgot that I’d done this, but last night, Kati showed up on Facebook with her report. Here’s what she wrote about it:

Swazi hut 2Well… I thought about it a lot. Prayed about it a lot. And was really struggling. I wanted to buy something that would last– kind of like “a gift that gives back” concept. After brainstorming with my teammate Ryan, the decision was clear: we would buy candles.

Candles were perfect for several reasons. First, upon buying them alone we helped the community by supporting the local store. Secondly, they provided light. Third, and most importantly, they represented a much bigger idea.

The next tough decision was choosing who we would give the candles to.

When we first met Khukwane one a home visit, he was sitting against his hut. He was frail man, with old remains of food beside him, and as we asked “how are you” he replied with, “I’m dying.” He told us he had no mats for us to sit on. Of course we told him that didn’t matter and plopped right down in the dirt beside him. As we sat there, we learned that Khukhwane had no family, no friends, and an injured leg. He sat against his hut from sunrise to sunset except when he would beg for food from his neighbors. He had nothing. He was lonely and hopeless. We asked him if he know anything about Jesus or Heaven. He told us he didn’t know much, but he’d like to hear.

We sat with Khukhwane for almost twenty minutes explaining God’s grace, the power of the cross, and a place where he would no longer be hungry or lonely or in pain. As we presented the Gospel to him, we would ask if he was understanding, then he would say, “Yes, I have been listening attentively to all you have said.” Finally, we explained that with a simple prayer of faith, he could have eternal life. He was hesitant though, because he told us he had a speech impediment. Immediately we told him that it doesn’t matter! God knows your heart. Relief flooded his face, and in that moment, he bowed his head, and accepted Christ. Seth, I have NEVER in my life seen such a beautiful transformation. Khukwane was dying from the inside out when we first met him, but when we left–he literally had a smile on his face.

Before we walked off, we invited him to our giant cow roast the next week. He said he’d love to come, but he had no coins to ride the bus. We gave him 5 rand, and he excitedly said “I will be there without fail!” Of course we were hopeful, but not completely confident considering he had NO money and he would have to save this 5 rand for 6 days. But sure enough….the day of the cow roast, who comes stumbling in with his homemade cane? KHUKWANE!

Candle

We greeted him with the biggest smiles on our faces, promptly gave him a chair to sit on and Kyra let the children in songs to entertain him. He gave him a big plate of food, and Gift even came over and chatted with him. When it was time for us to take him back to his hut in the kombi, I jumped in and presented the candle on the way. I told him to remember the light of his life when we saw the candle–Jesus. And to remember that no matter how lonely or sad he may get, there is a hope, there is a better life, and as the candle burns remember that and remember that you are not alone–we are praying for you! He smiled yet again, and as I hugged him bye when we dropped him off, I couldn’t help but smile the biggest smile. God is so good.

So thank you, Seth. For the $1 that truly impacted my summer more than I can explain in words.
I leave you with a challenge: You were born to be a difference-maker. Give someone a small gift of money like this and ask them to report back to you about how they invested it to bring light in a dark place. Then let us know the difference it made.

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