Positive Prospects - Part 3

Lottie Moon. Who? Lottie Moon was a woman missionary to China and the bearrer of the name behind the annual Lottie Moon Mission Fundraiser at my childhood church. A large wooden box painted white with a blown up black and white image of the United States of America with and an individual red Chirstmas tree light protruding from the center of each state stood just outside the entrance to the church sanctuary. As our church's goal of raising money was approached weekly more and more lights were lit. Either that or a thermometer on the side calibrated with dollar amounts was gradually filled in as our church approached its fundraising goals. In retropspect this was really my first appreciative knowledge that a world existed outside Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama and even moreso that other different people lived in that world.

I remember one Christmas my mom asked me if I wanted anything else for Christmas-apparently I had not asked for enough, every mom's dream right?. I said that I would like money to give to the Lottie Moon Mission. What was I thinking? What a pretentious little prude. What kid asks for such a thing? Anyways, when I awoke that Christmas morning, beneath the Christmas tree lay an envelope with 20 dollars in cash, I think; maybe it was a check. I couldn't wait to go give that money to the mission. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had in my life, and I am 22 or so years past that time. Where did this come from? Was I just a naive child giving to something of which I really knew nothing? Was it written on my heart by God to do just a thing? Did I think I was helping people? Did I want others to know about Jesus? Maybe I just hadn't become corrupt enough in spirit yet to realize I wasn't getting anything material back in this exchange. I just remember it tasted great to my heart. That taste pushed me during my sophomore year of high school,--I believe--to participate in a trip to St. Vincent Island in the Grenadines.