Sunday, December 21, 2008

Christmas And Children

Have you ever shared a hospital emergency room with a child?  Ever visited a foreign country like Viet Nam or Laos or Cambodia or Nigeria or India where children suffer from malnourishment?  Were you aware that each and every day between 20,000 and 27,000 children die from hunger each and every day?  When was the last time you went to the bathroom and flushed the toilet?  Sounds pretty basic but when you did that two miracles happened!  Your plumbing swept away about 40 diseases and incubation problems and it was done with running water!  Both of those luxuries most people in the world DO NOT enjoy.  So guess what, we have three basic needs met (food, water and health) and most of the time we do not even think about them.  

Your thinking to yourself, well what is this crazy person trying to do?  Ruin my Christmas?  After all it is Christmas and I am trying to get ready with and for my family.  How is it that someone is trying to intrude on my Christmas with all this depressing talk of hunger and death?  And, you ask yourself, how is this my concern?  Well, first, Matthew 25 tells us it is our concern.  And yes, statistics show that the wealthiest 4,000 people of the United States could wipe out hunger almost over night, if they chose to do so.  But they do not and so we, as the Good Samaritan are the next best thing, maybe the only next thing.  

And, yes, it is Christmas!

Yes, there was no room at the inn when Mary and Joseph arrived and so the innkeeper shared a stable with them.  You are busy and we all know it.  Certainly you cannot change the fact there was no room at the inn but you can, today, make room in your heart.  You can dedicate a small piece of your heart to the Christ.  (Suffer the little children).  And now you ask how can I do that?  Well there are many organizations all over the globe but I am going to suggest just one.  http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/about/who-we-are?OpenDocument&lpos=top_drp_AboutUs_WhoWeAre  Yep, it is World Vision  Adopt a child or give a goat but this Christmas add to your wish list the ending of world hunger -- and then adopt a child.  Don't like this one, find one you do like and support it.   Don't let another child go to bed crying from hunger.  Let's make this a Christmas to remember!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes. Every time I turn off a light bulb or organize by car trips or turn down the thermostat or plan a trip to East Congo, I do it for the sake of the children. You can see it in their eyes.

Once upon a time, I was called in the middle of the night to the ER in NYC to commend a child to God's care. Her parents were there. She had "fallen" from a window. Truth hung heavy in the room.

"He came down to earth from heaven..." (even 'though he didn't have to; he could have stayed all comfy in the eternal realms). So should we come down to earth...

David G. said...

I haven't been anywhere, but the nitty gritty U.S. and that is enough.

There is enough sh*t going on here, I really don't have the inclination to help those across seas.

And by that I mean financially.

I'm the Bob Cratchet of the United States.

lost-sheep said...

My mom and I signed up to "adopt" a World Vision child earlier this year and I am so glad we did. World Vision is an amazing organization. My husband and I have helped with 30 Hour Famine events in our area to support World Vision. I truly believe they are doing good in the world. We also support Episcopal Relief and Development, another tremendous world organization. Some are called to help locally, some nationally and some internationally. It is important to follow what God lays on our hearts. There is help needed everywhere. I volunteered at a soup kitchen for the first time when I was 12 and have always had a special place in my heart for helping the homeless and needy here at home, as well as abroad. For my college graduation, I wanted nothing more than to do a short term mission and we did it. My husband and I arrived home and one of the first things we did was cancel our satellite t.v. and we haven't had it since. No cable, not even an antenna. And we strive each and every day not only to not take things for granted but to do something to make the world a better place. That is something God has truly put on our hearts. We will do more mission work in the future, too.

The first question you asked is the one that tugged heavily on my heart. I have been in the emergency room with a child, my child. My two-month-old baby boy. I had to leave when they were having trouble drawing blood. It was a scary time and we just spent five days in a local children's hospital. Even faster than he got sick, he healed. My boy is a miracle in a lot of ways and is another reminder of why we cannot take things for granted. Every day is a gift. I am not perfect, but I do try to remember to thank God each day for the gifts he gives us. One of those gifts is my son. As we prepare to celebrate his second Christmas, I especially give thanks for his healing for the blessing he has been in our lives.

There are two babies in need of prayer right now. This just seemed like an ok place to share these prayer requests. Please pray for Aiden (he is roughly the same age as our son) who is suffering from atypical HUS disease. You can read more on his story here: http://talesofthetoot.blogspot.com/

Please also pray for baby Sofia who is a little younger than our son. She desperately needs a new heart. You can read more about her story here: http://sofineedsaheart.com/

The cool thing about these two is that prayer doesn't cost anything and could make a world of difference.

Sorry, Lynn...I hope I didn't completely hijack your post here. Just thought it worth sharing. May God bless everyone this Advent and Christmas season.

David G. said...

1 out of 500 million?!?

SIgh!!

Ain't bad I suppose

David G. said...

Souls Cross over every day...

A nice way to say "People Die Everyday".

I personally have been blessed with MANY BLACK AMERICAN Family, and friends during my so-called life.

...(oops trying to shame the Detroit is Crap crowd)...lol.