by Christine Tolu-Ajayi

Created on: April 25, 2008   Last Updated: April 29, 2008

Walking down the street on my way home, I heard a loud and happy shout, it came from somewhere up ahead of me, I looked up and my eyes caught a woman. She was an older woman, dressed in rags with her gray hair falling unkempt around her face, she was by the trash can, she was so happy because she had found some leftover food in that trash can and had started to eat it with a smile on her face.

I looked around me and most people had turned away from her, disgusted. Normally, I too would have been disgusted by someone eating directing from the trash, but the shout of joy from the woman was so real, so captivating, and I heard a voice from somewhere inside me ask,
"when was the last time you were you this grateful for something?"

It really got me thinking, I take so much for granted, clothes, food,house family, friends, job, everything I take for granted. If I need something I can get it, yet I don't know when I was truly, truly thankful for something, thankful enough to give a great, loud shout on the street.

So I have to ask what did I do to deserve all that I have? Everyday I ask for more , everyday I find something new to be dissatisfied with, everyday I hope for more and better things.
Did the woman make some great unforgivable mistake? Is she lazy? Is she just unlucky?Does she deserve that kind of life? What?

It could easily be me shouting for joy at some leftover food in a trash can,but it's not, because when I need food I have it, good food at that and I don't shout for joy!
There and then on the street I felt like getting down on my knees and lifting up my hands and saying Thank you Lord, not because I am not that woman, but because I don't know what I did to deserve to be who I am.

I wondered to myself, does this woman know God? has anyone told her about Jesus? perhaps she was giving God the glory for the little food she had found? I turned around determined to talk to her, she is a brave woman I think, not to care about what anyone would say but to show her gratitude out in the open, to have the world shun her because she does fit in, to take in the looks of disgust, disdain and fear, and yet smile and eat on, because she has found treasure in the trash.
Yes, I will talk to her and tell her she is loved, by the same God who loves me, not anymore, not any less but the same love...

I approach the trash can but she is not there, the empty plate is there, wiped clean, I look around but don't see her , I was too late! I wonder if anyone knows her, if anyone will miss her, if anyone cares that she just filled her oh so empty stomach with someone else's wasted portions!

But maybe there is a chance that she will pass your way, please give her a message for me,tell her that God loves her, and as you speak to her remember to give a great, loud and happy shout because you know where your next meal will come from and you know where your bed is and you have at least one person who will miss you if you were gone.

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