Can't help them all

Every conversation with Paul Townsend provides small jewels of wisdom or counsel. I often call him My Apostle Paul, but he would be angry with such a comparison. Today Paul took the time to tell us a little about Chajul. He often stops, moved to tears as he recalls some of the people who gave their lives to preserve God’s word during the war. The list of those killed because of who they called their King – is numbing.

This afternoon, in the quiet of his office, he broke our hearts with a story that runs parallel to our stay in the Ixil. A young shoeless shoe shine boy stuck his head in the office and Paul politely shooed him away. As he stared at the empty doorway, he said, “That was Manuel. He started coming around here a while back – wanting to shine my shoes. I paid him little attention at first.  Then I let him shine my shoes, and I learned a little about him. Sometimes I would give him a little soup which he would wolf down to fill his starving stomach. Over time I got to know him a bit and went to visit his home - such an extremely poor family, even by Ixil standards! Today I made arrangements to pay for his education; in January he will begin classes at the Christian School. I took him to Nebaj and purchased a pair of shoes and a shirt for him and his little brother. He was so pleased.” As he turned his eyes back from the empty doorway, I asked him, “With all this need everywhere you turn, how do you decide who to help and who to say no to?” He replied, “You can’t help them all. The Ixil people have one of the highest levels of malnutrition in the world. I have people coming to my door all the time – asking for food, asking for money, asking for medicine for a sick baby. You just have to say no sometimes. I’ve had people come back and tell me – thanks a lot - because you did not give me medicine for my baby, my baby died. It is hard, but you have to compartmentalize it. Sometimes God puts people in my path that I feel a overwhelming conviction to help. You just can’t help them all.”  

When there is such abundance back at home in the States, it is hard to accept that we cannot at least help more of these beautiful people. I pray that W.I.N.D. can help in some small way. With a focus on providing affordable quality Christian education, it might help a little. But I guess you can’t help them all. Oh God, give us a passion for the oppressed, the poor and the widowed.