I am blown away.
Just over one week ago, I sent out a request for donations of baby blankets to take to the women and children that I’ll be speaking with while I’m in Malawi.
The result was an overwhelming display of generosity – what I asked for and then some.
The result was overflowing suitcases, bins, and bags.
The result was over a hundred blankets, baby jumpers, onesies, and caps.
It’s funny how you learn so many things by asking for help.
I have been blessed by the number of donations, inquiring emails, and endless support that my community has given me. Promises of prayer, curious questions, and joyful encouragement have been carrying me through these days leading up to my departure.
Last week, I opened an email from a mother in town, asking me whether the blankets she had left over from her children would suffice. I responded accordingly, but there was a part of her email that struck a chord in my mind.
“I received quite a few baby blankets for my kids, but didn’t have much occasion to use many of them… I’d love to pass them along to someone who could really use them. My personal experience was that here we might almost have “too many” blankets, as people I checked with already had plenty.”
Her words moved me in a way that I wouldn’t have expected. In one sentence, this mother put into words the feeling of being blessed and the desire to bless others. In recognizing what she has received, she determined her ability to also give. In fact, the blessing of others (in the form of baby blankets for her children) has caused her an overabundance of blessing that she can pour out to those who can “really use them”.
While I don’t believe that it’s possible to have ‘too many’ blessings from God, I do believe that we often keep too many of them to ourselves. I can think of countless examples of where I have withheld generosity instead of ‘spreading the wealth’.
Luckily, this tendency has been completely disregarded where these blankets are concerned. I never could have anticipated the number of blankets sitting in my basement right now, waiting to be delivered to the mothers and children in Malawi.
And for that, I am ever thankful.
As always,
Caitlin Arlene
Caitlin Arlene 