Matthew 10:42
And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple,
truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

This is one of the simplest instructions of Jesus.  Who can turn away from a needy child?
We all know the special place in Jesus' heart for the innocent children.  And yet, when we
see a child with an affliction, we often treat them the same way that we do an adult with an
affliction.  We judge.  We pretend to overlook them.  We often do extra for the precious little
ones, but turn away from the ones with special needs.

At Emmanuel there are so many children that have special needs.  They range in severity from
mild mental retardation to advanced stages of cerebal palsy.  With the recent addition of the
nearly 100 new orphans before Christmas, Emmanuel is swollen with physically and emotionally
suffering kids.

I must admit that I was heart broken when I saw the faces of children that were covered
with ringworms.  I shook my head at the many little shaved heads of both boys and girls
who were scabby from the horrific lice beds that had been living in their heads for months...
even years.  The staff and volunteers are amazed at how well they look now after only a month.
I don't know if I could have stood to see them at Christmas.

At Emmanuel they see no difference in the sick, and the well.  They don't offer a cup of water
to only the fittest...they serve all.  My lesson for today is not to be selective in those we serve,
I'll be offering a cup of water more often now.  And I'll offer it to all.

Good night.