However, about a week or so later, while I was engaged in my day to day activities, that conversation re-played in my head and then something leapt up in my spirit. I opened my Bible to where this particular story was and by the time I got to the end of that very short story which I had read so many times before, I was in tears. This is a story that took place more than two thousand years ago but it was definitely a word in season for me. Jesus had just returned from praying in a solitary place as He often did. A large crowd had gathered to listen to Him teach and He healed those that were sick out of compassion for them. As evening dawned upon them, the disciples urged Him to send the crowds away as they did not have enough food to feed such a large crowd. BUT Jesus told them to "feed the people". They looked at the food they had available to them.....five loaves and two fish....to be shared among five thousand people? How ridiculous! We probably have the advantage of knowing how the story ended but the disciples had no clue. All they knew was that the food was insufficient. I wonder if Jesus even did a headcount first so He could be more specific when praying....so he could make sure there would be enough for everyone before he started handing it out? The story says all He did was take the bread and fish, look up to heaven and He gave thanks then He broke the bread and gave it to the disciples. It does not say the bread grew bigger or turned into thousands of loaves. He simply kept giving from that same loaf. In my mind's eye I see the disciples each with a piece of the bread and just walking around and continuing to break chunks from the never diminishing original piece.
Here then is where the threads link-; AMAI is a ministry born from the depths of my heart and is a step of faith to reach out to those children that have been orphaned. When my children first made reference to that Bible passage after seeing my page, I did not immediately make the connection. It took a few days for me to get the significance of that innocent conversation from two little boys who were just being a bit nosey :). My loaves and fish have not grown bigger or miraculously multiplied but rather, I'm looking upwards as I embark on this walk of faith. When I got in touch with orphanages back in Zimbabwe just to find out what the most pressing needs were, they sent through their lists of foodstuffs and other necessities that have been in short supply. I looked at the lists, maybe more like the disciples looked at the crowds and then at the two fish plus five loaves. The sums did not add up but my maternal heart refused and still refuses to look away from OUR children. They need us and we can do so much more together. The plight of the orphan child is one that calls for the attention of not just one or a handful of people. For those who use facebook and would like to join in with the vision of this cause you can visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMAI/341988939250670. Let's look upwards and respond to those cries. Our children need us.
Blessings.
