Unable to Help Everyone

One thing that has hit me lately is its impossible it help everyone, and to be honest it have been a little overwhelming.

There are the beggars, it seems like someone is begging every time I look up. Many beggars come to the market day in and day out. Others walk the streets, some hang around western cafes, just to get a little money. In this situation I use the same principles I did in the states, I will give food or something like that, but don't give cash. Let me tell you it would be a lot easier to just hand them a few hundred riel and walk on. What good would that really do, they will be back the next day or even the next hour  needing more.

Then there are the people who share their story with me, I feel that most of them are not directly looking for money, but someone to listen and relate to. The stories range from the mom is sick and had to sell some of the wood from the house to because she is sick. The son shared the store with me. He works in Battambang 7 days a week consisting of over 110 hours, to send most every dime he makes to his family. It just isn't enough to pay for all the needs. Or the lady I buy chicken from at the market. I ask her for a kilo of breast, as she's cutting she tells me about her son who died. 

Then there are the kids that live around my house. Each day as I come and go on the Tuk Tuk they are waiting to yell Hello as loud as they can. I am not sure how many there are, I would guess from 10-22 (from different families). Most of them have 1 or 2 outfits, they play with sticks, mud and rocks. They swim in the little creek, where I'm sure they are going to get sick from. Yet they are so excited no matter day or night to see a white person and be able to yell the only English word they know. We have alittle game now to see who can yell first me or them.  How can I help all of them? I don't know if they are able to go to school, if they are able to drink clean water, take a bath (other then in then in the smelly creek). 

Then there is the people who come asking. This is the one that hit me hard on Sunday. Battambang is one of the largest cities in Cambodia, yet it is more like a small town. Everyone knows each other and normally knows what all is going on. So of course once construction started on propriety, people started asking questions. Once they found out an American was here to teach and hep, people starting coming up to me or to the property. The first time I experienced this I was able to help the ladies daughter, and now her is apart of the program. Some come to just ask if I will teach them to cook alittle, others come wanting a job, others come to try and get a friend in to program.  I always take the time to listen, learn about their situation, what their dreams are, but normally at the end of the conversation I have to look at them and say, we can't currently help you. I write down their information, make a mental note of their face,  and tell they if or when we are able to help I will call. Pray with them and send them on their way. I then normally stand there thinking, why can't we take them in or why cant I give them a job. And asking God why are you sending these people when we cant help more at this point. 

Most of those questions I have not gotten answers to yet, but I have on a few. I am not the one helping them, it is only by the love of Jesus that they are being helped. I am just a tool for God to use. I also know that the loving God we serve did not create more people then he created resources to take care of them.  This gives me hope and makes me excited.  I know that we are hoping to add 12 girls to the program. This will open doors to 12 new families, with new needs and new situations. The way we are able to help these 12 is through sponsorship, to help pay for the needs, supplies and support they will need. At this point the sponsorship is around $250 a month for each of the girls. Please be in prayer for us to connect and find the girls who will benefit the most from the program, and how God wants has planned.  I would also appreciate prayer to have the words needed when I talk with these people. That I let God speak and that I do not get in the way.