Jesusluvsall's Blog

Last Saturday I went to an engagement party for some friends from Vietnam. There was a mother with her six-year-old girl sitting at my table. They have only been here for a few months, so the little girl spoke very little English, but somehow she figured out I was a softy, so she started pointing to the balloons hanging from the ceiling. I reached up and pulled one down to give her. I ended up getting three balloons for her.

It was an honor to be seated with the families of both the bride to be and the groom to be and a blessing since I know most of them with many of them having been my students in the past. The grandmother of the groom to be was sitting at our table. She is elderly and a widow. Sadly, her husband passed away last year. So as I was getting balloons for her great-granddaughter, I looked over and had the idea of how to get her to smile. I reached up and grabbed a balloon for her.

I just wanted to give her a smile. Her family does great taking care of her. She doesn’t lack anything and is surrounded with love. But it got me to thinking about widows and makes me wonder about widows who are not so fortunate.

Caring for widows and orphans is mentioned more than one time in the bible. It is definitely on God’s heart that we look out for those who are vulnerable especially widows. I am grateful that my church has a support group for widows and also that pastors and leaders make sure widows are not taken advantage of by meeting with them to go over financial issues. Still, I wonder about caring for widows in the American church. So much is spent on facilities, but how much on the care of widows? Are our hearts aligned with the heart of God? These are questions I wrestle with.

When I meet widows from other countries I am also cognizant of the history they have lived through. My friend from Vietnam, the one with the balloon, lived through the Vietnam War and the downfall of South Vietnam. She also lived through the refugee experience, separation from family, and being reunited as they trickled into America over the years.

Perhaps a big part of caring for widows is to give them the gift of our time. If we take time to listen, there is a treasure chest of life to learn from.