The 93-year-old bachelor's mite

Becky, a CMS mission partner, has served as a curate in Sri Lanka.  She married recently and is presently studying with her husband in Britain before their relocation as a mission partner couple.

A short while ago she wrote of a 93-year-old man, to whom she presented a Bible when, while in Sri Lanka, she learnt on his last birthday that he had never earned enough to own one.  He now "reads it diligently on a daily basis".

He has no family or relatives and is dependent for a small income on help from others – a monthly grant from a local church and a donation from church members.

He lives in a tiny room adjoining the home of a Buddhist family.

In mid-October he wrote to Becky and enclosed a 100 rupee note – worth about 50p in pounds sterling – about a tenth of his monthly income.  As a tithe, it was an extraordinarily generous gesture.

I've no doubt that Jesus would not only have approved of but also blessed him for his contribution in much the same way he did the widow's two small coins or 'mite' in Mark 12.42.