Reeeeaaaad Me!

So I sit at work a lot. This means I sit at a computer. Alot. I was reading on lds.org trying to you know, feel spiritually uplifted. And BAM this is what I found. I had no intentions of posting on my almost abandoned blog, but after reading this, I wanted to share. I hope you enjoy!

This story came from an article titled The Lord Needs Missionaries by President Monson.

Bike to the Future

By Peter Evans and Richard M. Romney



Lots of young men prepare financially to serve a mission. In Africa part of that preparation is earning enough money for a passport. Sedrick Tshiambine earned what he needed in an enterprising way: by selling bananas from the back of a bicycle.

Sedrick lives in Luputa, Democratic Republic of Congo. He’s one of 45 young men in the Luputa district who is working to save money for a passport to go on a mission. In DR Congo a passport costs $250, which is about two-thirds the cost of building a house.

But Sedrick was undaunted. He earned his mission money by cycling 15–30 kilometers (9–19 miles) from Luputa to small villages, where he purchased bananas, then cycling back across the hot African savanna, his bike heavily laden with fruit to sell in the city. Each week he traveled about 180 kilometers (112 miles) along the sandy roads, and only once did an unbalanced load cause a tumble.

For his efforts Sedrick earned about $1.25 a week, or $65.00 a year. It took him four years to save enough to purchase his passport, but now he knows his future will include a full-time mission because he is financially ready to answer the call to serve.

After reading this, I felt so selfish. How many of us would be willing to do what Sedrick did? 250 dollars to me, is nothing. That is a weeks worth of money for me. After reading this story, I do not understand why I have been so blessed. However, I hope to recommit myself to being grateful, serving, and giving because "where much is given, much is required."



May we all find more ways to serve in our daily lives:)

MJ