To give a child one crayon and ask them to create art, is heart breaking. The children that I met today at Bright Hope organization school, are happy and energetic, like many children their age would be. And yet, I gave them 1 crayon, 1 sticker & 1 paper to create art.. and still their art was beautiful.

I know in America we often hear about how much we have and how blessed we are; and I, like many of you probably thought, well I don’t have that much… But when my children where in school, it was easy for me to buy them a box of crayons each, a notepad, and their own pencil. That is not the case in Ethiopia. Families here are truly poor. Family resources are reserved for basic family needs, not crayons.

While crayons are not vital for these children to grow or to learn, as a teacher, I know the joy that art can add to your experience. Today through our craft the children learned how to write Merry Christmas, and how to say, good job.

The children at this school are lucky, because they do attend school. Yesterday we met families who live in the slums of Addis Ababa, their children are not so lucky, they are not always able to attend school.

At Sweet Sleep, I crunch numbers, I balance spreadsheets, I watch budgets; but I do all of that knowing it has a greater purpose, it serves the least of these. My boss has been very eager for me to get on the mission field, I have been equally eager, but not for the same reasons… I understand now why she was so eager… When you look into these faces, when you touch these hands, and when you see the art inside of these children you are changed. If I had the resources in my own bank account I would fully fund the work we do in Ethiopia myself, but I don’t. Thankfully we are the hands and feet of Jesus, please know that when you give, you really are making a difference, you really are touching a child, you really are preserving a family, and you truly are having a Heart for 1.

– RONDA HARRIS

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