I would like to tell a story that happened a few years ago...
I was a Student Pastor to High School and Junior High students for 20 years. During that time I was able to take the teens all over the US and different parts of the world on 21 mission trips. One of those trips was to Brasil on 3 occasions. We spent 8 days on the Amazon River living on a boat and 8 days in a big city. I could share all kinds of cool stuff that happened on these trips but for some reason, this one event keeps coming to mind this week.
The last time I went on this trip was when the economy tanked a few years ago. I had a youth coach with me that owned a construction business that got hit really hard. He almost backed out of going with us but decided to go ahead anyway. When we arrived at our "village" where we were to build some projects (greenhouses, a church, and a home) this guy always got up early before anyone else. It was always right at daybreak when he would go sit and watch the sun come up. It was about the 4th day he came to me and said every morning he would watch a young kid get in a wooded canoe. The kids was about 10 years old. He would paddle to a bend in the river, put out some fishing nets, and fish for about an hour. He then would come back in for the day. The kid did this every morning. The next morning I woke up to watch this kid. Sure enough right a daybreak, out he went with his canoe, fished for about an hour, and then went back in.
I asked the missionary who led our trip about this young kid. He checked around and found out this kid was without parents and he went out every morning to catch food for the day. If he caught fish he ate - if he didn't he went hungry.
The next morning found my friend and me waiting for the sun to rise. Again, here came this young boy out to fish. I looked at my friend and he had tears coming down his face and he said to me, "That kid would love to have my problems back home. I may lose my business back home, but I can always rebuild it. I have a home, way too much to eat, a healthy family, and the opportunity to live in a great nation. If I work hard, I will never have to live like he does."
Point taken.
Happy Thanksgiving guys!! We are a blessed nation and people. I hope each of you take in the moment and enjoy time with your family. May we never take it for granted.
Sermon complete
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