Luke 21:1-4

1As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.^[a] 3"I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."


You may or may not be familiar with these verses

from the New Testament NIV bible.

It's the only way I can describe the gift

I was given the day Art went to live with his

new host family.

I had ordered him a bible in Thai and it was delivered

the same day he was set to leave.

I wrapped it and presented the gift to him after school.

For Thai people, it is considered rude to open a gift

in the presence of the gift giver.

If the recipient is not pleased with it,

this may show on their face and bring hurt and shame

to the giver.

I told him he could open it after he moved into his new house,

I could tell he was unsure what to do.

When the time came for him to be picked up,

we helped him load his things in the car and

said our goodbyes.

I gave him a hug and told him we would see him again soon,

as his birthday is coming up.

He took my hand and laid a plastic sandwich bag

with foil folded neatly inside.

I tried to politely give the gift back to him,

but he insisted.

Inside was 250 baht ( approximately $8 dollars).

The handwritten note read:

"Thank you so much to everyone

In this lovely house...

I feel really comfortable and happy

(the 1st time in USA)

Thank you so much for food

especially "pistachios" thank you for bed

(especially to K...)

sorry that I have to steal your bedroom.

Thank you for let me "the homeless people" be

part of your family ( although it's just a short time.. too short)

May God always bless you all from above...

Thank you so much MR. D and MRS. S and of course MS. k

as I always say....................

'We don't say Goodbye'

These thing...... are not a payback

It's just a gift (and don't try to send it back to me!!)

a gift from someone who have nothing...

I truly believe that this will help you survive

(although you can do it by yourself!!!)

in the country that I proud to call "HOME"

It's not worth your kindness at all........

but it's all I can give and I want to give it to you....

Love,

Art


So there I stood in my kitchen.

Crying lots of tears.

It was the first time anyone had given me a gift

that held so much meaning.

He gave us all of it. Every single ounce of Thai money he had.

Nothing we did for him could equal the magnitude of his gift to us.

My husband and I are in a disagreement over the baht.

I don't want to spend it because of what it represents to me.

He wants to spend it in Thailand because that was the intent of the gift.

I'm just more sentimental I guess.

So, should I spend it or not?