This memory, this image, of this child laying in the dirt in Soweto has become the single most motivating call to action from my trip to South Africa. For some reason, the image of this child is literally burned into my mind and I know that I wont soon forget it. This child was at the local Day Care Center. This child is considered a lucky one. This child has an adult that takes responsibility for it, that drops it off somewhere in the morning, that makes sure it has supervision throughout the day. There are millions of other children in Africa that are wandering the streets, abandoned, orphaned because their parents have died from AIDS, they are alone, hungry, tired, vulnerable, scared, desperate. This child is lucky, by Africa's standards. By my standards, not so much. I can't stand that the child, maybe 12 months old, just laid in that same spot in the dirt for the hour that we were in that area. How many babies that age do you know that just lay there, still, lethargic? Those care givers next to the baby, they are not the slightest bit interested in the 30 kids that are in their care at that center. They are not doting on the kids, stimulating them, protecting them, teaching them, loving on them. If this is a lucky child, how can I sleep at night as I imagine what is happening to the unlucky ones? I can't. I am struggling, I am heart broken, I am angry and frustrated. How can I just sit in my comfortable life, enjoying my security and abundance and go on like this isn't happening? I am responsible for those kids. I know that they are there, today, at this moment, hungry, frightened, mourning the loss of their parents or caring for them as they waste away, they are sick themselves, in pain, in agony, living in hell. How can I be here? How can let this happen? How can I not move and give and serve and help? I feel so guilty and ashamed. I feel sick to my stomach. I wish those images, that reality, the things that I now know would just go away. But they wont, and I know the truth, I am so heavily burdened with all of this. Again, I am incredibly uncomfortable, but know that this is where God needs me so that I will be moved to action for Him, to help save the children that His heart breaks for even more than mine. So now what?
3 comments:
Kim. where is God for these hundreds or thousands of poor defensless children that don't get lucky enough to be placed in an Acres of Love home? You are suffering so for those left behind. Since they are to young, or neglected or sick to accept Jesus in there hearts, are they doomed to live out this hell on earth only to spend eternity in hell also?
kim. you are one of those religious people that wants to draw attention to yourself instead of giving credit to god. good luck in life being so self absorbed.
Awesome Kim! You are an incredible advocate for these beautiful children!
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