Is the world always Black and White?

Interesting picture, don't you think? I love this picture. I went to a Bead Factory in Accra, Ghana a few weekends ago, They gave this amazing demonstration about how they make all their beads from hand. We got to this station in the demonstration, and as I took this picture, it was such a perfect picture of my world. The beads are made from all colours of glass - green, yellow, white, blue, red - crushed together to make a powder, then the 'designer' intricately decides which colour will go into a handmade mold, turning out a beautifully crafted bead.

As consumers, we rarely think about those who 'produce' the goods we buy. This part of West Africa is reknowned for its bead making. The workmanship is amazing; the craftmanship is handed down generation after generation.

My world over the last seven years has been focused on doing my part to help the poor and needy of this world. I've stopped seeing the world as 'black' and 'white'. Instead, it's all blurred together. I now see people who need God, people who are hurting, people who want acceptance in spite of their colour or want others to see beyond their deformity. The part we play may often
seem insignificant. I've done this long enough where I recognize that it's HUGE! No matter how small a part - if it touches someone else life, what more can we offer! To give of yourself, that's all God asks us to do. Whether it's giving blood (I even made it through the fact that the person drawing my blood - well, it was her FIRST time). It hurt some - but the rewards were GREAT. The blood was for Mohammed - a little six year old boy who was having a facial tumour removed. Mohammed has since left the ship holding his head up high, not afraid of the stares that once were a constant part of his life. What an amazing journey I have had! And you all get to be a part of it just by reading this. I hope it encourages you to see how you can impact someone (maybe not in Africa, but perhaps in England, California, Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, South Africa, Singapore, Thailand, Hawaii (just a few places where I know some of you are located!). I appreciate all of you.