For The Love Of A Lunchbox!

Today I cried.
Now I know that is not unusual for me, I cry a lot. But today it was in public and I just couldn’t stop the tears!

Today I had the privilege of going to a school to give some kids backpacks as they started their new year at school.
The school we went to is a decile 1 school. For those of you not in NZ a school’s decile measures the extent to which the school’s students live in low socio-economic or poorer communities. Decile 1 is the lowest rating you can get and so most of these kids don’t have a lot!

It was so cool to see families coming in and kids getting their backpacks, filled with goodies. We offered to pray a blessing over each kid as they headed into the new year and not one family turned us down!

We gave them a backpack, prayed for them, feed them and sent them on their way!

All of this was so cool to be a part of and my heart was full knowing we could help these families in a small way. Everyone seemed so grateful for what we were doing. But then this was this one little boy.

He came in with his 5 older brothers and they were all pretty excited to get their backpacks. For some reason, this little chap just caught my eye and the grin on his face went from ear to ear as he was handed his bag. But then he opened his backpack and he saw all his goodies inside, and his face just beamed. He took out his new lunchbox and hugged it so tight with this enormous smile on his face. He absolutely glowed as he showed it to his Mum and then hugged it again!

People, he hugged his lunchbox!
Now I don’t know if you have ever hugged your lunchbox but I know I certainly haven’t. I mean, it’s just a lunchbox, right? Everyone has one, it’s nothing special. Apparently, not so.

This lunchbox brought so much joy to this wee chap. Now I don’t know if he’s never had one before, if he has had one but it was his brother’s old hand me downs, or if this was the best lunchbox he had ever seen. I don’t know,  but whatever the reason, this kid loved that lunchbox fiercely!

To see so much joy just made me sob! Something so simple, but to this wee guy it was everything. I can just imagine him hugging it tightly as he goes to bed tonight!!

Friends, who knew there could be so much joy in a lunchbox! A simple $9 lunchbox!
Life does not need to be complicated or filled with expensive exotic things to make you happy. To see the smile on a wee boys face because he has a new lunchbox is all it takes!

So I guess my wee bit of advice for you this week is to enjoy the little things. Stop and be thankful for what you have, and remember there is always something to be grateful for!