The Widow's Mite

November 8 is always a great day for me. It seems like every birthday goes well, regardless of other circumstances. This year, however, I was unsure of what was going to happen. Only one Zambian knew that it was my birthday so I assumed that the day would pass quietly and that the only celebration would be a dinner in the evening with my MCC Country Reps. I could not have been more wrong.

As soon as I arrived at school, hot and sweaty from my bike ride I might add, the Grades 3s and 4s poured out off their classroom to sing me happy birthday. They must have sang the song five or six times and then a few of the came up to give me presents - cookies, a pencil, and some money. I was quite surprised by this but there was more to come. I was taken around to each class where they sang me happy birthday and put presents for me in a box. By the end of the day I had a grocery bag of candy, some fruit, money, a pencil, a plastic flower, and many cards. What a great way to celebrate a birthday.

I was immediately reminded of the widow's mite. Here were kids who have hardly anything - many are living in crowded houses, or without electricity, or with very little food - yet they were buying me little birthday presents or putting little bills into my present box. It was very touching that these kids would do such a thing for me. It would have been an actual sacrifice to buy me the sweets or the cookies which is tremendously moving if one thinks about it.

The birthday that was expected to pass quietly, therefore, actually became one of the best birthdays ever.