The other side of the world
Good day readers :)
Yesterday was historical. I wish I could turn back time, but my mum and dad are already back in KL, probably busy with work. Many asked me "Don't you miss your parents?" "I would die without them" "How did you manage yourself?" "I can't believe you can stand it without them"....blablabla....all those kind of responses to my life story are not foreign to me now. At least, not when I have friends. Their 'being-there-for-me-all-the-time' was the medicine to my home sickness. Actually, more like 'family sickness'. Still, I am grateful for what God had laid before me.
I read this book recently and it got me thinking - about why I am here and why I am who I am today, about my past and future and most importantly, my present. Austin Gutwein had somehow 'showed up' in my life and feel me with inspiration and hope. I am starting to think that this book had landed in my hands by God's plan. Austin had 5 words for me:
'God wants to use you.'
One glimpse and it's not a big deal. One might nod their head and say "Okay." but in actuality, the "Okay" can't be fully okay unless we understand how God works. And to understand that, we need to know God. This is important so that we don't stray away from Him and put our full trust in Him. Take Your Best Shot is the title and Austin is the author co-written with Todd Hillard. Todd has 17 years of pastoral experience and has written more than 12 books. He is a freelance writer and is passionate about taking dreams and stories of others and bring them to life on the written page. You may be wondering what my parents has to do with this book. I'll get to that later ( or you have figured it all out already) After all, it's just an ordinary book, with 218 pages and words. Yet, the message it brings are eye opening, powerful and stimulating. The thing that caught my eye while browsing through the library books is it's huge caption at the back of this book that says
'You can do something BIGGER than yourself.'
Basically God had called Austin to help AIDS orphans in Zambia, Africa. How he does that? - Basketball. (I bet that caught your attention). Trust me I am puzzled at first too, but God is the author of Austin's calling. And though it seems weird and funny and somehow unworkable, God has His own ways to light up Austin's path. And that's just the exciting part of the story!! Austin is the founder of Hoops of Hope, the world's largest free-throw marathon. Participants raise awareness and funds for children who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS by shooting free throws - how amazingly fun is that!
Mother Teresa had quoted: 'in this life we cannot do great things. we can only do small things with great love.'
And that's just that. You may not help them all, but just helping a single soul means the world to them. Even so, helping them does not mean doing something that's beyond our ability. For instance, Austin helps them by doing something he is passionate about, that is playing basketball. For 2057 shoots in a day, he raised money enough to sponsor 8 AIDS orphans in Africa, in the nation of Zambia. It's so cool he actually got to be a sponsor for a kid named Ignatius back there. It's even cooler that he actually WENT TO AFRICA with his dad and met him!
Austin with Ignatius.
p.s : If you would like to help them in anyway, you can also start by picking a child for sponsor.
Okay, so the journey got so far away I forgot to tell what inspires him in the first place. It begins with a simple, 4 minute long video that echoed through the television in their house. He was nine. She was nine too, on the other side of the world. The huge difference between them is Maggie had experienced a lifetime of tragedy. All her family members had died of AIDS, all except the only relative she had, a 73-year-old great-grandmother of hers. Besides that, she had no one else. I know my life has it's dangerous curves, but looking upon what God had blessed me with unveiled my eyes and point of view towards life. I need to appreciate myself, and in the middle of it, I realized that I could inspire others. Although my mum and dad are not under the same roof as mine, at least they still love each other and are alive. - and that alone is a gift from God. A miracle so finely done and only way I could thank God is by sharing this story, because it is indelible in my mind now. Sealed and there to spark a fire to strive for a difference.
Maggie's story had touched Austin's heart and captures mine too, and this is something I would really love to share. We all have only one life, let's take our best shot and do something bigger than ourselves. Start with looking at someone bigger than us too. The least we can do is offer them a prayer, a prayer sincerely from our hearts.
Watch Maggie's story below: be careful though, she might touch your heart and change your lives forever.
You have one life.
Do something.
Comments
Post a Comment