By Taylor Carlson, our new Care Director.
I am often encouraged by the OnRamp community. Yet at a recent donation, I was moved to tears over the reminder of one of God’s greatest gifts: our children. A car can be an extension of how we best care for those gifts. I was so moved by the words of gratitude spoken by a client family originally from Africa to whom we gifted an SUV large enough for their children. I asked this dear friend if he would expand upon his words for our readers and he graciously agreed.
“In my culture, we believe that children are both a blessing and a source of wealth for their families. We never stress about learning that there is a new baby coming into the family. Whether expected or unplanned, we believe that they come as God's gift to the family. In that sense, we believe that babies never come empty-handed regardless of whether their parents have plenty of resources to respond to their basic needs or not. This belief is summarized in a popular cultural proverb that says: "If God decides to bless a family with a baby, He will always send the baby with its plate/food."
I know this may sound too optimistic and idealistic; some may even say too disconnected from reality, but my experience so far tells a different story. I signed my very first employment contract, exactly a month after our first child was born. Before that, I had been searching for jobs unsuccessfully (and in my country finding a job is not an easy task even with a university degree). For me, that contract was the "plate" our first child brought so that we could take care of him. With that job, we managed to achieve and even go beyond all our goals. Afterward, we were blessed again with another baby. Just like the first, our second baby brought another opportunity, but this time, it was much bigger than the previous one: an opportunity that took us far from our home country to new adventures here in the United States. As we were settling down, we quickly realized that we were missing something very basic which we used to take for granted while in our home country: a reliable vehicle! Long story short, we got nominated to OnRamp by a good friend who believes in us and our potential. OnRamp approved our application and offered us a reliable vehicle just a few weeks before the birth of our third baby.
I do not think we'd need more signs or miracles to understand that babies are indeed a blessing for their families. So far, each of our babies has come with their particular blessings and opportunities, and my family and I feel so grateful for having them. I think all it takes is to believe, work hard, and stay attentive to recognize how our Good God continues His Redemptive Work through little ones.”
This is a perfect example of what makes our clients so special: their gratitude. Their recognition of how God is working and bringing things together compels us all forward and reminds us of our blessings even in seasons of waiting.