The Extreme Generosity of the Poor in Africa - A Story!

"Once again, a missionary friend and I decided to try a little fishing on our day off. On Monday evening we went to the local reservoir outside our African town of Abengourou , . We had done so several Mondays in a row, each time coming home with empty hands. Milton said he had the secret bait; a set of " Flying Lures" that he saw advertised on TV while in Alabama on furlough. He ordered them from a fishing show and brought them with him to Africa . So off we went with the "Flying Lures", confident this time will be a success. However, even with the secret weapon, we caught nothing.

I tormented him unmercifully about his "sure shot" bait that took him for only $19.95. A local African fisherman came by in his dugout having fished his nets, and asked how we were doing and how many fish we caught. We reluctantly admitted we had none at all and never did get catch a fish any time we came. He commented how he noticedus each time we came. We asked him what he used for bait and he told us. But this poor man grabs a fish out of his boat and throws it to us. It was a dandy sized fish too. No big deal? That fish in the market would have been worth 1500 cfa, and that represents a full day's wage or more, here. This poor fisherman gives two rather rich strangers (according to them), as a great gift, his days wage. Prayerfully, we can love our neighbors as much as this man did us, and use our sacrifice as a testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ.

(From Rayner Reporter May/june 1996)