Do your parents ever send you emails? I don't get emails from my parents very often. Some people might suggest this is because I talk to them on the phone every day. And they would be right. I haven't been able to call them in a few days. They left last Thursday to go visit my brother in West Africa for a few weeks. I'm jealous they get to hug my nephews and meet little Blessing.
I received an email from my dad Saturday night. It was too good to keep to myself so he said I can share it with you. Please, please take the time to read this. There is a huge surprise at the bottom of this post as well.
"It is the middle of the night here and I can't sleep. It is hot and humid, but we do have air conditioning in our room that gets the temperature down to the high 70"s, but that isn't why I can't sleep. I have been crying, there I admitted it, I'm a grown man I shouldn't do that. I have been laying here thinking about our visit to an orphanage today.
Rusty, Jamie and the boys took us to an orphanage that they regularly visit, I don't want to mention the name because it isn't about that particular orphanage, in fact Rusty says that it is the "Ritz Carlton" compared to most. When we entered the courtyard surrounded by high walls with razor wire on the top we were greeted by 10-15 happy children in clean, if well worn clothes, Gail was the first smiling girl I was introduced to, Rusty said she was deaf. Teddy was the next, I didn't notice at first that he couldn't walk, he walked on his knees dragging his feet behind him, He was smiling and so excited to see Rusty, Rusty had picked him up, that is why I hadn't noticed his handicap at first.
After visiting with the kids in the courtyard we went in to see the babies. There were maybe 6 or 8 children there in clean cribs with mosquito nets hanging over them, they seemed quite happy. Jamie and Rusty knew all the kids by name and took time to touch and talk to each one. Then Rusty took me into the special needs room, there were three boys there, two with very swollen heads, Rusty told me the name of the condition, but i can't remember and even if I could I couldn't spell it. The third had "cerebral palsy" Rusty says that is what they call everything that they don't know what the child has. One of the boys with the swollen head was in obvious pain just lying there moaning. He was about 1 1/2 and Rusty said he had people waiting to adopt him and even thought there is a moratorium on adoptions the special needs children are proceeding, but Rusty doubted whether the paper work be done in time.
We went back to the court yard where candy and glow sticks were handed out to great joy. The children sang some songs to us, one about how God was always with them and cared for them, Right there I wanted to jump up and swear something at God. I knew what the writer of some of the Psalms must have felt like when he shouted "Why God do you forsake your people!". I must say most of the children were healthy and well cared for, but I can't get that little boy out of my mind, with a loving home waiting for him why does he have to suffer there.
Teddy with the brightest eyes and long eyelashes also has people waiting for him, and he will probably make it, but why does he have to crawl around building ugly calluses on his feet and knees? Why God why do the little ones have to suffer? They didn't commit any sins, there is no evil in them. I know that this world is fallen, that it is not how God created it, but it still hurts. I have to believe that it hurts God more than it does me, I have to, but it doesn't help.
What can I do about a corrupt system that profits on suffering children and doesn't care? What can we do? I wish I knew, but I do know I'm very proud of Rusty and Jamie and the love they show to these children. Please pray, it is the only thing I can think of that can help this horrible situation. Pray that these children can get to loving homes, especially Teddy.
By the way it is our 39th anniversary today, one I won't soon forget."
I know that God calls us to take care of the orphans and to feed the poor, but how much do we really do from our comfy western lives? I know there is every excuse in the book why we don't help. Some are legitimate. "I don't want to give money that a corrupt government will steal." That is hard to argue with. It is. But, it isn't.
Have you heard of One Day's Wages? This is an amazing new organization that's goal is to end extreme global poverty. Does that have your attention? Well, what do they do with their money?
"ODW uses 100% of the money raised (minus transactions costs) to directly grant proven organizations, projects, and causes around extreme global poverty. While compassion is very important, our priority is not to give hand-outs but to carefully fund organizations, projects, and causes that empower the poorest of the poor to lift themselves out of poverty. While there must be numerous strategies to end extreme global poverty, we understand that money isn't the solution but rather, people."
This new organization is taking off like wild fire! Check it out, please. They have a fabulous Board of Directors and the founders are wonderful people.
I'd like to also encourage you all to go to their website and donate. If you donate leave me a comment and I will donate $10 for everyone that tells me they donated. This is on the honor system friends. On top of that, for every new subscriber I get between now and my birthday (February 22nd), I'll donate an additional $2. It's that easy. Spread the word. And wouldn't this be something you'd like to see in The Mirror?
If you don't use a blog reader and don't know how to subscribe I suggest Google Reader. To read more of my dad's thoughts, you can head over to his blog.