Daily Devotions - Friday, October 10

My Brother, Edmond

“He asked, ‘Who is my neighbor?’”
--A question posed to Jesus (Luke 10:29)

“To deny ourselves the knowledge even of a single person is to lose
the central piece of the jigsaw puzzle.”
--Leo Buscaglia (The Way of the Bull), p. 35

One final Rwandan reflection on the theme “Who is my neighbor?”

It was our last day in Rwanda and I was packing my bags for America. The dilemma: Too many souvenirs and not enough space. I decided that I'd leave some clothing behind. I took one of my shirts and asked Edmond, our bus driver for the past week, if he knew someone who would benefit from my shirt. He looked at me and, with tears forming in his eyes, asked, “Ben, can I wear it?” I replied affirmatively. He cried openly and said, “I have a brother who has given me the very shirt from off his back. Thank you, Ben.”

I am thankful for the central piece of the jigsaw puzzle that came my way in Rwanda-- a neighbor, a brother named Edmond. I hope you find your Edmond. Have a meaning-filled weekend.

Ben Keckler
10.10.08