I have a friend here in Georgia who is in her 80’s. She has travelled with us and has a big heart, period, as well as a big heart for Africa. Each year she asks me for a fundraising project to work on. In September 2009 I told her about Litsemba 2010 and the need for us to raise $12,000 to feed 15,000 children breakfast. She offered to take on the challenge of raising $6,000 knowing that she had 10 months to do it.

Her focus was on the many adult Sunday school classes at the very large church she attends in the Atlanta area (not the church we attend). She has been planting seeds, spreading the word and starting to collect checks. When she had $550 some senior members of her church pulled her aside and reprimanded her for asking people for money. They explained that the church was in debt and that funds needed to be given to the church, not to feed children in Africa. They went so far as to say that their church doesn’t even work in Africa so funds can not be given for that purpose.

My dear friend was angry and hurt, but mostly saddened by this. This was her church and she was heartbroken. She decided to tell people that she was no longer raising the funds, but she chose not to tell them why. God is on the throne and she would leave it to Him.

Well, God is our provider and it is ALL His money, so last week a man pulled her aside from her volunteer duties on Sunday and quietly handed her a check for the children of Swaziland. It was a check for $10,000.

She arrived at my office door this morning unannounced and humbly, through tears, told me this story of His providing “exceedingly and abundantly” more than she had asked for or imagined. The good news is that God gets ALL the glory.

Amen.