While I was in Zambia two months ago I helped one of our pastors take his mother to the hospital. There was a terrible pressure behind her eyes, it was so painful it caused her to wake up screaming in the middle of the night.
Taking Patson and his parents to the hospital was an entirely new cultural experience for me. The hospital had two lines, literally, the “slow” and the “fast” lane. The idea being if you pay more you’ll get treated quicker. By the time we arrived the “slow” line was already going around the building with people sitting in the sun, suffering, waiting to be seen. I happily paid the extra $30 for the fast lane because I could see how concerned Patson was for his mother’s well-being.
Before I left Zambia, I gave Patson some more money for the medicine and a follow up trip to the doctor’s. A few weeks ago Patson emailed to let me know his mother has made a full recovery and is seeing great with both eyes.
At the time I didn’t think much of the $30 I spent helping Patson because $30 isn’t that much and I would have done it for anyone I cared about. But the more I thought about it that $30 I realized its value to to Patson and his mother is much greater.
As I am fundraising full-time now it bothers me when people say something like “I’m going to give you ‘x’ amount a month, I know it’s not much…” If you are thinking about supporting me, but think the amount isn’t that much, think again. These “small” amounts add up. If 40 more people support me at $25 a month, I’ll be at 100%. Don’t place a value on your gift, let the one who receives it judge what its worth.
