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THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL
I didn’t know his story. The only thing I knew was he was one of 65 children being fed at our feeding center in Tanzania. He looked to be about four maybe five, but the missionary assured me he was probably closer to ten. His little body ravaged by the effects of being very poor in Africa. But despite his size, there was something about his blank stare that made you take a deeper look. His eyes truly were the windows to his soul. What had wounded this little child’s spirit so deeply. So great was this sadness that his countenance never changed. As the other children laughed and played with the members of our group, this little boy was always alone. He never really engaged with the other children even though they tried.
As the days at the feeding center passed, our team enjoyed getting to know the children. We played games, made balloon animals and spent time sharing meals with them. However, as the children came and went, everything remained status quo for this little boy, his sadness was ever present.
Our last day at the feeding center was a day of celebration. We had planned a party for all the children, their families and the local dignitaries. The meal for the day was not the usual fare of rice and vegetables. This days meal was fitting of a celebration. There were sodas and portions of meat, breads and vegetables, and even a cake for dessert. After the meal, we presented gifts to everyone. Pens and watches were given to the dignitaries, while clothing, toothbrushes and candy were given to each child. After the meal and the gift giving, the center was hopping and everyone was enjoying the moment. For these people a day like this was an oddity.
As the party continued, I stood alone away from the main group snapping photos. I was just enjoying the moment. It was then I felt someone take hold of my hand. As I looked down, I gazed into the eyes of the little boy with the wounded spirit. Our eyes locked, never wavering. As we stood hand in hand looking at each other, he started to smile. At that moment I could feel the warmth of tears as they welled in my eyes and I began to weep. No longer was there sadness in his eyes, but a glimmer of joy. We couldn’t communicate verbally but his eyes and smile spoke volumes. As we stood there, hand in hand, the commotion of the party seemed to fade away and it just the two of us. He stood there patiently, perfectly contented to hold my hand. We stood together for ten minutes hand in hand. For those brief precious moments his lifeless eyes were gone and everything seemed OK in his little world.
Our feeding center continues to operate on a daily basis. The number we feed is up from 65 to around 100 children. We feed these kids two meals a day. Without this food, many would not survive. The sad fact is that for every 100 we feed, there are 100 more who stand at the outside gates of the feeding center, hoping there might be a little food left over. We would like to feed these kids also, but we are constrained by limited finances.
Read MoreART = FOOD-4-KIDS
Amidst today’s political unrest and economic uncertainty, a movement is bubbling to the surface. A shift in social consciousness is emerging. Every day this consciousness is gaining momentum. It has no specific name, but it’s face is emerging everywhere. Almost daily the media shares stories of the individual next door who is unselfishly making a difference in someone else’s life. Whether these individuals are taking their cues from the likes of U2’s Bono, who was elevated from rocker to Knighthood, or they are divinely inspired. Whatever the inspiration, these individuals are making a difference in peoples lives.
Local artist, William McKensie, is one of those individuals who has adopted this philosophy. Bill, as he is known to his friends, has watched his art move from small local showings, to major galleries in New York and Toronto. With a strong Christian faith, Bill openly shares his God inspired dream of using his talent to feed hungry children around the world.
As McKensie’s paintings have gained popularity among the art communities, he contributes a major portion of each sale toward feeding children through Manna Worldwide. Because of Bill’s heart for children, and the growing popularity of his art, there are 70 children in Honduras who are no longer hungry. Each day these children are being fed because God gave one individual a talent, that he chose to use for His glory. God has given Bill a big dream. His goal is to feed 250 children daily from the proceeds of his artwork. With 70 children counted, he is well on his way to reaching that goal.
As a nation, we always rally to help when there is a natural disaster or catastrophe. But what about the day to day heros? We all have God given gifts and talents. The question is, are we using those abilities to make this world a better place?
To view the art of William S. Mckensie: http://wsmgallery.com
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