Monday, February 3, 2014

ETC. MEANS. . . A TOILET!

Last year, I sent a huge birthday gift to Anabell, my sponsored child in Honduras.  She was celebrating her quinceanera.  For those who don't know, a quinceanera (I hope I spelled it right) is the girl's fifteenth birthday in most Central and South America countries.  It is a passing from childhood into adulthood.  It's kind of like the 16th birthday in America, but on a much bigger scale.

I wanted to provide Anabell a birthday celebration.  It was the only thing I could pray for, think of, and prepare for.  For an entire year, I set aside a certain amount of money every time I got paid.  At the end of the year, I was able to send the gift to her.  So determined was I that she celebrate her birthday in the tradition of her culture that I specified the gift be used for her quinceanera.  Compassion told me they would do their best to ensure the gift be used for it, but they couldn't promise me.
 
Once I sent the gift, I finally yielded it to the Lord.  Even though I wanted Anabell to receive a birthday party, I contented myself with the fact that it might be used for something else.

A few months ago, I received a letter from Anabell.  It also included a picture.  I was thrilled when I saw the picture.  It is the first one I have of her smile!  I am still pretty excited about it.  However, whenever I look at her picture, I laugh.  Or, on an extremely bad day, I will at least smile.  Why?  It is what she wrote and what the picture told me.

I wish I had a scanner, for I would post the  picture.  Maybe one day, I will.  For now, I will describe it to the best of my ability.

Her letter stated, "Thank you for the gift you sent me.  I bought 3 pants, 4 shirts, 3 shoes, ETC."  How like a teenage girl to list clothes!
 
Then I studied the picture and had to reread the letter again.  Anabell had a bright pink shirt on and dark pants with black shoes (loafers or dress shoes, I can't tell).  She is smiling softly while holding the rest of her clothes. Anabell is standing in front of huge dirt pile.  My precious teenage girl is standing beside a brand new, white toilet.  The toilet still has the white plastic over its lid.  Beside the toilet is a cardboard box filled with a white trashcan and white toilet bowl brush and holder.  Maybe she, her mother, and twin sister likes to color coordinate?
  
Have I mentioned that I would love to meet this girl?  Her letters always make me laugh, and this is no different.  In fact, everytime I hear ETC, I laugh and think about a toilet.