Just as Alea did not choose to be born in the USA, this little girl next to her did not choose to be born in a 3rd world country.  There is no difference between the needs of these two children.....both need food, shelter, clothing, medicine, protection, education, and love.  None of us get to choose if we are born into abundance or poverty, but we do get to choose how we use the resources we have been blessed with....skill, finances, time, talents, education, etc.  Aside from one boy burned and marred all over his body, we have not been approached by a single African begging for money....they approach you with things to buy...handicrafts they have made, fruit they have picked, etc.  They take pride in "earniing" a living; they do not beg for handouts.  But yet you can hear the desperation in their voice and the pleading in their eyes when they ask you to buy something.  In America, we work hard at our jobs, then go home to our comforts...in Africa they work hard from sun-up to sun-down just to survive.  Everything takes effort...washing clothes by hand, hauling and boiling water, cooking with charcoal over a tiny stove, and trying to sell just one item to buy food for the day. 

Samuel, from Raila School who befriended Jonas and stole our family's heart gave so generously out of what little he had...one day he brought us a DVD (which are a very popular, quick sell in the slums so he could've gotten money for it; a very valuable item)...one day he brought us a small Bible (which he assured us he had another one at home)...one day he brought a chapter book....and one day he brought this green hat that Jonas has worn almost every day since.  It is one thing to give out of abundance, but it is another thing to give out of what little you have.  We have been so blessed by the joy, the generosity, the sense of gratitude and the contagious smiles of those who have so little,