A Starfish Tale

A few years back, a strong Pacific hurricane in slammed into the coast of Southern Mexico. After the storm passed, a small boy walked down to the beach to survey the damage. When he reached the sand, he saw thousands of starfish that had been washed high up onto the sand. Not knowing what else to do, the boy picked one up and carefully returned it to the safety of the tide. He then returned up to the sand and rescued a second starfish, and a third, and fourth.

As the boy proceeded, a man was walking do the beach and saw the boy running back and forth, up and down into the surf. When the man approached the boy, he asked the lad, “What are you doing? Don’t you realize that this beach goes on for miles? There are millions of beached starfish. What possible difference can you make, boy?”

The child paused, looked up at the man, and answered, “Well, it makes a difference to this one” and he held up the starfish in his hands.

Sometimes going to the slums of Tijuana, Mexico can seem overwhelming, hill after hill of extreme poverty and desolation becomes almost too much to bear. “What possible good can I do? How can I possibly make a difference here?” and then I remember, “Well, it makes a difference to this family” In fact, it changes their lives.

For the fourth year this summer, from July 13 – 15, I’m helping lead a house building trip to the slums of Tijuana. We are going to raise $5,500, buy building materials, build a house and give it away, all in a single weekend. It’s about the most rewarding thing you can do.

Matthew 25: 34-40

Baja Christian Ministries