$14

Today, when I returned to our house, I found that the staff had graciously washed and folded my dirty clothes even though our wash day isn't until Monday. This was already somewhat of a blessing because my favorite sleep shorts were among them. However, when I went to my room, I found a much more profound lesson in humility and human character.

On my bedside table, I found 14 American dollars (that i had completely forgotten about) wrapped lovingly in a note written in near perfect English. It explained that the cash had be found after my clothes had come out of the machine. At first, I viewed this with the same sentiment I would in the states: brief gratitude then indifference. Then, the weight of such an action hit me.

In Rwanda, the average worker makes less than $1USD per day. So, while $14 in America isn't really something to be devastated about, here its the equivalent of 2 weeks of labor. Can you imagine finding a biweekly check discarded on the street? That would be tempting to anyone, much less to those who have very little to care for themselves and their families.

Once I really thought about this, I was overwhelmed by what strength of character it took to return "just" $14. While, there was a chance I could have remembered it, more likely I would never have even noticed. To the kind soul who found it though, that didn't matter. Returning it was the right thing. So, they did it. I think that we can all look within ourselves and ask "would I be strong enough," and I pray that I would.

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."
1 John 3:18