Several years ago the New York Times ran an article telling the story of Sonia Angeline, a 17-year old pregnant girl who lived at the garbage dump in Maputo, Mozambique. She went into labor and the labor continued for four days with little progress. Sonia was dying, as too many African women die in childbirth. Her family couldn’t come up with enough money for a taxi fare to get her to a hospital. The typical household savings in the country of Mozambique is ten cents.

A 23-year old American girl named Katrin Blackert, was volunteering in Mozambique. She visited the children in the garbage dump on a regular basis. It was on one of those visits that she happened upon the 17-year old struggling to give birth to her baby. Katrin quickly summoned a taxi, paid the fare with her own money and brought the suffering girl to the hospital where her baby daughter was delivered by Caesarean section.

Do you know what the total cost – taxi fare and all medical charges including surgery – were? Four dollars. Two lives were saved for four dollars! Sonia Angeline named her baby daughter Katrin after the volunteer who saved her life.

Imagine how wonderful it would feel to make that kind of difference in somebody’s life. Jesus told us to love your neighbor as yourself. Look for opportunities to serve your neighbor, here or abroad, to give money, and volunteer to help.

Ask God to show you how you can make a difference!