How Watermelon Changed Emily’s Perspective on Poverty

For Emily, a mum of three and long-time Compassion supporter, visiting the home of a family from Indonesia was an experience that completely changed her perspective on poverty—and gave her life-changing encounters she wouldn’t have been able to have through a screen.

30 Jul, 2024

The value of human connection

Living in a digital age, we can experience a lot online. Social media, virtual reality and AI are just some modern advancements that can wire us to believe we’re fostering a true sense of community at the click of a button.

But as Emily learnt on a trip with Compassion, there are some things that can only be taught through face-to-face connection.

In a western environment, offering a guest food with a questionable expiry date could be seen as rude, yet when Emily was offered a piece of days-old watermelon, she realised that it was actually a radical act of kindness.

Emily’s eyes softened as she saw how willing this mother was to share the little food she had, even if she was uncertain where her next meal might be coming from.

“I saw myself there as a mum, asking what my life would look like without the privileges of education and a livelihood. To this day, one of my favourite things I’ve ever done was that trip. It was all about human connection,” says Emily.

By being invited inside the home of her Indonesian neighbour, Emily was privileged to witness things that many people are not. At first glance, perhaps her eye was drawn to the dirt floors, the dusty windowpanes, the lack of worldly trinkets. When you’re used to contexts of wealth, lack can be jarring. But a moment later, she heard a heart of generosity beating loud and strong and realised the thread of humanity that tied her to this woman.

"When you’re there, it becomes real. You visit the houses of sponsored children, and see their parents try and make a business out of their home, doing anything they possibly can to give their children opportunities and meet their needs. It made me understand that we’re all humans, and we’re all doing the best we can for our kids,” says Emily.

God's provision through the local church

In addition to her experience of being offered the watermelon, Emily learnt some other important lessons during her trip with Compassion. One of the things that challenged her faith was hearing testimony after testimony of God revealing Himself as Provider to families who were desperate for Him to come through. Just as He did in the Old Testament, God still gives manna to those who are seeking Him.

Because people living in poverty don’t have the luxury of being reliant on wealth or physical possessions for security, often their hands are open to receive miraculous provision from God. He’s all that they have, and through their circumstances, they learn to live day by day, trusting He will show up.

As Emily saw firsthand, one of the ways that God shows up in neighbourhoods around the world is through the hands and feet of His local church.

“Seeing the local church overseas changed my perspective. The church was the community hub; the safe place for people there. I came back thinking, ‘We’re missing something in Australia.’ The pastors and church leaders were the hardest workers there— connecting with the schools and involved in community events and sourcing resources for families. They were so motivated. I loved seeing how the pastors knew the importance of every person who walked in their buildings. There was no judgement,” says Emily.

The work of Compassion seeks to see and honour all neighbours in the way they are seen and honoured by Jesus: worthy, loved, and full of potential. In partnership with local churches who are richly devoted to developing healthy and thriving communities, we get to see this mission outlived.

Every single one of us is made in the image of God. Yet just because the measure of our value is the same, doesn’t mean that the way resources have been distributed is fair. This is where we have a responsibility to stand up for those oppressed by the cycle of poverty.

Bringing the Kingdom to Earth

If we’ll let it, seeing the magnitude of suffering and trauma right outside our front door can be a powerful catalyst to becoming God’s hands and feet to our broken world. In Psalm 95:7, it says that He is our God and we are the people of His pasture. This beautiful imagery means that regardless of the neighbourhood we were born into, we are united as one in the Kingdom and have a responsibility to love one another the way Jesus has loved us.

The day that Emily accepted a piece of sun-heated watermelon in that tiny home in Indonesia, she looked into the eyes of a woman who had not chosen this way of life. This woman had been born into poverty through circumstances outside of her control and was doing the best she could with what she had. It struck a chord with Emily because she realised the gift of being brought up in a country like Australia. She realised the privilege of living in a place where most people have access to electricity, regular meals and a stable government.

More than simply accepting this revelation with a posture of gratitude, Emily felt compelled to do something about it.

When she returned home, Emily and her husband began to have regular conversations about the reality of poverty. They took turns explaining to their three children why they were choosing to set aside money each month to support a sponsored child. They talked about the importance of writing letters and building relationship with their neighbour across the sea, and proudly displayed his replies on their fridge. Emily’s family of five grew to six. This relationship has continued ever since, and Emily has even had the opportunity to visit him in person!

Where to from here?

Trips with Compassion challenge our pre-conceived notions of the neighbourhood. They inspire us to think bigger, see further and look deeper. As Emily learned the day she was offered a piece of watermelon, the stories of our neighbours matter, and we are uniquely privileged to support and bring hope to those living in poverty who may not have met the life-transforming love of God yet.

You can join Emily in advocating for your global neighbours through volunteering, sponsoring a child, or donating to Compassion. We would love to have you partner with us to release more children from poverty in Jesus’ name.

Written by Sarah Moore, Compassion Australia