In the spirit of Chinese New Year and all the family gatherings, this year we decided to do something meaningful and spread some love! So we opened up our hearts and our home to a family who didn’t have much and invited them over for dinner.
From the time I heard about this family of a grandmother and her 3 grandsons, to the time where we prepped the house, gifts & laid the table with food, I wanted everything to be perfect coz i knew they were something special! But nothing really prepared me for the place they would take in our hearts by the end of the meal…
The eldest and second child came in all smiley, friendly and confident… While the youngest was a little shy hiding behind his protective brothers! But there was a hint of maturity beyond their years that betrayed the turmoil, abuse and struggles they faced at home. Especially the eldest of the lot, it almost felt like his sensibility came from a place where he had to grow up way too fast and the joy & innocence of his childhood prematurely taken from him. Numerous times I fought hard to hold it together as his grandmother shared about the beatings & hardships they’ve been through.
Thus I was really happy to see them let down their guard as the night went on. Their cheekiness started shining through as we dined, chatted and played together. Kids being kids, were gleeful to receive their red packets, presents and titbits. But I pray that they’ll take home way more than that. That they would always remember the prayers, encouragement and love from this simple household.
We are not the richest people and don’t have a whole lot, but we are definitely humbled by this whole experience and are grateful to be in a position to give. Just when I thought that the night had ended and closed the door behind me after saying our goodbyes, I heard little running foot steps and that chirpy voice crying out AUN-TY-VI-VIEN!!! To my surprise, the second boy shoves a plastic of toy into my hands and he instructs maybe almost too seriously to “soak it in water and it’ll grow big” and then skip away with immense satisfaction on his face.
This act caused me to later bawl my eyes out as I reflected on how by giving the little that he had, he already given me so so much more than all that we’ve given. And it provoked me to want to outgive him and give more to this precious family. And I smiled at the thought that God must be like that with us… Whenever we give our precious to Him, it simply provokes Him to outgive us!
The thing that grew bigger that night wasn’t just his prized dinosaur, but definitely my love for them!
