What's in it for me?

We are trying to move our Roma friends on from "what's in it for me?" thinking, to "how can I bless others" thinking.  It's taken me a life time to begin to understand the difference.  For those who have received very little blessing in their lives, and a whole lot of rejection, I guess its an even longer journey to make than it was for me.

On Saturday we cleaned 40 cars outside our church free of charge.  People were amazed as they came back from their shopping to find their cars sparkling.

Our church team had 3 Roma women and 4 Roma lads helping.  This is the first time we've invited the Roma to do something expecting nothing in return.  At lunch the 3 Roma women were handed a card on which was written "the Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" Psalm 34:18    I read it to them: "O Baro Del si pasha kudala kai si lengo ilo shindo, ai skipil kudalen kai si lengo duxo pelo tele."  I felt my heart being healed as I cleaned the cars.  I don't know how it affected the Roma.  Did they feel exploited? For hundreds of years their ancestors had been slaves in Romania.