Count your Blessings...

Recently I was able to go with the folks from our church to help Scott mission in downtown Toronto which provided food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless and runs a food bank too. As we were driving I was quite amazed by the beauty of the nature surrounding us, the lakeshore, harbour, CN tower ,sky scrapers, also I was quite excited as this was my first visit to downtown Toronto. It was beautiful life was on fast track, street cars, BMWs and looked like everyone had a wheel on their shoes. We went passed the harbour, office blocks, china town and there we reached the Scott mission building.
The scene outside the building was quite a thing, there were so many people waiting to go in to get some food, waiting for the doors to be open. Old, young, children and families. Each had a story to say, one can read it in their eyes, sorrow, pain and suffering. No one can pass by without having a second look and thought.
I was awe stuck with that site. Just couldn’t believe that in Canada and in Toronto there are people suffering like this, with not even one proper meal. Just few blocks away were the high end buildings and offices making millions with whatever they did, there was the rotating restaurant in the CN tower were one would spend about 50- 100 $ a meal and few hundred yards away there were people begging for food, what a contrast…
Living in India this scene wasn’t new to me but then I couldn’t think of this in Canada.
As I came back one thought was left behind. Many a times when we have all that we need provided on time, we don’t seem to realise the importance of life. When life goes well, slowly we tend to forget or reduce the time spent with God. I thought I need to pause for a while and think if all the Blessings God has given us, not the miraculous ones but ones which we never actually think as a blessing say some basic things like
• Clothes- If u ever had confusion on what to wear tomorrow, thank god cos u have two sets of clothes to choose, when someone doesn’t have even one
• Food- If u get to eat three full meals a day, without a problem Be thankful cos there are millions of people who just eat one meal a day or not even that…
• Shelter- we have a nice place to sleep, if it’s cold we have a blanket to cover, and if it’s hot we have our air-conditioning on to cool it a bit, isn’t that a Blessing.
• Family & loved ones- It is indeed a great blessing to have parents, husband/ wife, children, brothers, sisters or someone who cares for us.
Moreover as Christians, we have a father and friend in heaven who is always there for us. Blessing in deed.

I ended up saying a three point prayer, lord today help me to

• Be thankful (for all that u’ve done for me)
• Be content (with all that I have) and
• Help me Have a heart like you(Jesus)to have compassion when we see people in need

Lets start counting our Blessings and specially when there’s something bothering in your mind, lets think of the people like the ones who come to Scott mission or the ones around the world, who don’t have any place to go….