So many thoughts running through my head. So many tears lately. Tears for children with no parents or pajamas to wear to bed. Tears and an aching for fullness.
Tears and a very clear sense of purpose, the creed by which I will live: I was put on this earth to fill bellies with food, voices with laughter, faces with smiles, and souls with Jesus- the LIVING water.
The motto is great, but actually living it is another thing entirely. See, I’m a detail person. I really can’t control it. So immediately I think: When? Where? How long? With who? What can I do right this second?
I am learning this though: God rarely gives a roadmap. Most times, it’s a blindfold. He takes my hand and says, Will you just trust Me?
I don’t know when.
I don’t know where.
I don’t know who.
I don’t know how.
But I will take a deep breath and let Him tie the blindfold. I know that I can walk unafraid because He is not only with me, but my hand is in His and He leads.
I follow Jesus.
Of this I am certain: There is work to be done. I saw it. I saw the clan of kids walking by the dirt pit, going to the bathroom on the side of the road because they have no toilet. I met the girl who saw her mother die in a ditch that was their home, father long gone. Orphan. I saw kids with no shoes and no hope. I met the cutest little kiddies who are six, but look three because they have been malnourished all their lives.
I wish I was making this up, but I’m not. And maybe you’ve heard this all before or even seen it yourself, but maybe you’ve forgotten. Maybe you’ve forgotten that in all of our reaching for the coolest stuff and waiting for the newest gadgets- we’ve missed it. Maybe you’ve forgotten that these are real people. Can we really afford to ignore their cries?
It makes me literally sick to stomach when I think of our complaining, gossiping, greed. . . and our total apathy for the cries of the alone, hurting, hungry, and broken.
I sat down to write about something completely different, but I can’t.
I just can’t shake this.
Someone’s gotta speak up about the selfishness.
The cost of that coat at that store would provide a child with clothing, food, clean water, shelter, and schooling for almost 60 days...?
There’s no nice, clear way to end this post.
And that bothers me.
So I hope it bothers you too.
I hope you keep thinking about this over and over.
And to be honest, I kind of hope the words on this screen eat at you, like they eat at me.
I hope they expose some things that maybe you’ve pushed away or ignored.
Then, I hope you do something.
