The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

The Plenty In America

by Dessa Rodeffer. Quill Publisher

16 April 2003

I think most Americans don't realize what they have in their homes and in this country. We look at the bills coming in, see the car isn't quite up to par, the clothes are getting worn, and then there are those medical bills.

We have pretty well convinced ourselves that life is tough here in the U.S.A.

You read in the paper where people want to strike for better wages, they aren't getting enough vacation time, colleges are too costly.

I think we have forgotten that struggle is part of life, that waiting is what makes us appreciate, and having too much can really give us a false confidence that we are in control of life.

I was given a Sharing Calendar and a cardboard fish that I was to fold into a bank at church several weeks ago.

The calendar was a way for each family to make an offering to ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING while learning how our contributions can help people around the world.

But, what it taught me was how very blessed we are in America compared to many in other countries.

The first day I was to give 1 cent for every year my home had remained standing. Money was to help others when their homes were destroyed by floods or mudslides.

The second day I was to give 1 cent for every blanket, quilt or comforter I had in the house. Refugees often have no way to keep warm. I challenge you to do this one. I was overwhelmed when I found I had almost forty while others had none.

Even first aid and medication is a luxury for many. Give 1 cent for every over-the-counter medication your home is blessed with. Again I had 35. Another time I was asked to give 10 cents for every family doctor and dentist I had. In many places people have none and must travel long distances.

Each day I was overwhelmed. I read where our gifts would help a Bosnian man start a chicken farm. Give 2 cents for every egg in your refrigerator.

In Bangladesh, our offering would help people build shelters to protect them from dangerous storms. Give 2 cents for every window and door in your house that keeps out storms and lets in fresh air.

Another day it challenged me to count every tree and bush in my yard and give 1 cent for each. Trees help keep the soil in place so homes don't wash away and have good soil for planting.

For a man in Egypt to help start a woodworking business I gave for every piece of wooden furniture in my home. For hungry people in Sudan who needed help with growing a garden, I gave for every garden tool in my house.

Many children in North Korea have stopped growing due to lack of food. I gave 5 cents for every meal or snack I ate that day.

The blessings are so abundant in America that it is hard to see why people have so much trouble sharing with the rest of the world.

It bothers me when I read there are people who think we should only pay attention to our own backyards.

When we hold on tightly to what we have and ignore our neighbors, we will eventually lose everything to a hostile force.

By helping neighbors, we are blessed. It's in the giving we receive, and the givers who make America great.