Today we would like to share a story about our sweet friend, Jayamari. Her heart is one of gratitude and stands out in a world of challenge and chaos.
When she was ten years old, Jayamari’s father and mother died. A couple of years later, she was diagnosed with leprosy and underwent treatment for three years. Sadly, it is quite normal to shun people who contract leprosy, so Jayamari did not return home after her treatment because she feared rejection from family and friends.
Later she married and had a daughter. Through the years, she welcomed two little grandchildren to the world!
She is now a 70-year-old widow and cannot provide for herself. Even begging is not an option because of her health condition, so the Indian government allots her one thousand rupees as a pension (about $15 USD). We provide her with rice and medical supplies.
At times, hearing the great losses she has suffered feels overwhelming. We just offer rice and medical supplies in hopes of blessing her, yet she is the one blessing us!
She recently shared, “I will always be grateful to EAV. Without you, my life would have been very miserable. I thank God for you.”
You might read that and wonder how someone who has lost so much can still have such a beautiful heart of gratefulness. That question is not lost on us either, and it humbles us to serve and love her.
As we head into the rest of the holiday season, we pray that each one of us remembers to have the heart posture of gratitude and love, just like our friend, Jayamari.
