Hope Spot 45 – Power

Last week our power went out.

It was dodgy the day before. Out for an hour. On for an hour. Off again.

It was on when I turned the lights out for bed.

The next day I woke up and went to put the light on.

Nothing happened.

So, I figured I’d make a coffee while I decided what to do next.

But, of course, I couldn’t.

Without power, I couldn’t get internet, so I couldn’t connect to work.

No worries, I thought, I’ll do the ironing instead.

You can guess how far I got with that.

There are so many things I take for granted – until they are not there anymore. It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself when something goes wrong, like the power going out …

… until you think about people like Jac from South Sudan, in this year’s Gifts of Grace.

When Jac was forced to flee his home, he could take only what he could carry. And when you must walk hundreds of kilometres to find safety, you carry very little.

That’s why, when Jac finally reached safety at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, a $9 Gifts of Grace School Set was a very special blessing.

Pens. Pencils. Paper. Text-books.

Such simple things – but they start an education.

School is a proven way to help children recover from trauma plus education is a gift no one can ever take away.

Even if the electricity goes off.

That’s the power you and I do have.

To help children forgotten by the world go to school, so they can have an education that will set them up for life.

Thank you for using your power for good.

It’s why I’ll never ‘turn’ off from telling you what a blessing you are. ALWayS.

PS: VOLUNTEER POWER!

Our ALWS volunteers in Albury are hard at work packing ALWS Gifts of Grace orders. Packs include Grace Cards and Grace Sheets, and thank you drawings from individual children like Jac at Kakuma Refugee Camp.

Christmas post can be slow, so ALWS is urging all new, or extra, Gifts of Grace orders by Tuesday 3 December for pre-Christmas delivery. Thank you!