Accion de Gracias

Thanksgiving is not celebrated on a special day of the year here in El Salvador. Instead, they frequently take days throughout the year to celebrate with an "accion de gracias". Literally, this means an "action of thanks". There are two things about this local tradition that I appreciate.

First, thanksgiving should not be limited to a single day. Ideally, we should wake up every day and give thanks to our creator for the breath of life. For a roof over our heads. For food on the table. For friends and family. For health. For employment. For laughter. For freedom. For so many things that we often take for granted.

Second, thanksgiving is more than a word. It should be a verb - an action in our daily lives. Knowing how much we have been blessed should in turn cause us to desire to bless others with our abundance. It may be a meal for a family that has little. It could be a warm blanket. Taking care of a medical bill for those out of work. Possibly a shoulder to cry on for those in pain. A kind word. A smile and a hug. Simply, to love in word and deed.

In the midst of the cooking and busyness of this day I wanted to thank you. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your support of the work here in El Salvador. Thank you that through your abundance we can provide food and blankets and a shoulder and a smile and a hug and, most importantly, the love of God who sent his only son to die for us.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.  Psalm 28:7

God's incredible timing

About one month ago one of the students in my class paid the class fee for another student whose husband had a low paying job. The gift was to be anonymous. I meant to tell the recipient but it slipped my mind. Finally, on Saturday I remembered and asked "C" to stay after class. When I told her that her fee had been paid in full she just broke out sobbing. I thought her reaction was out of proportion until she told me what had been happening recently in her life. Her son had broken his arm and needed surgery that she couldn't afford. Her husband told her that she would have to quit the classes or take the money out of the food budget. Since she couldn't do that, she came to class that day to advise me that she could no longer attend. She was sobbing out of joy that God had provided for her at the moment she needed it the most. Some people would call this coincidence. I call it God.