When you do it to the least of these

When you do it to the least of these, you do it to me

The other day I was driving around Port-au-Prince in a hurry as usual trying to pack too many errands into an already full day when I passed a woman with a baby sitting on the side of the road. This is a common site in Haiti as sometimes women “borrow” a baby so they can earn more money begging than if they didn't have one.

But this woman was different, as I raced by her, she didn't even bother to lift her hand and beg.

I did my errand, but could not get the picture of this woman and baby out of my mind so I re-traced my route and found her sitting listlessly by the road with a naked baby boy in her arms.

She was talking to someone, so I parked the car and waited a few minutes before walking up to her. At first I looked at the baby and saw that he was doing OK, but looked very hot and de-hydrated. So I went back to the car and got my water bottle and gave him a cold drink. At first it was too cold for him and he pushed the bottle away, but when he realized it was water, he started to eagerly guzzle it.

Then I looked down more carefully at the woman. She had a large wound on her breast and I couldn't even bare to look at it.

I gave her more than twice what I usually give to beggars, but still it wasn't much.

I drove away wishing I had given her more, and had spent more time with her, but I had other things to do.

Still I did go back to her, and stop and gave her baby a drink of water and her a little money, and I did it because I love Jesus!

Who knows, when I get to heaven this may be the one thing that Jesus rewards me for the most.