Why I became a Compassion Blogger…
[Compassion International is one of many worthwhile organizations dedicated to releasing children from poverty. In fact, BibleDude.net Founder Dan King works a lot with another great organization called Help One Now. Their programs provide access to clean water, medical care, and educational opportunities. But for me, it’s all about the food. The thought of children going hungry day after day tears my heart wide open.]
We name the problem with a euphemism. Did you know that?
It’s Not World Hunger.
Hunger is too bland a word. We’ve all been hungry, right?
“I had some dental work done and I couldn’t chew for three days. I had to get by on liquids.”
“All the grocery stores were closed when we arrived at our vacation condo. We couldn’t buy food until the next day!”
Yes, most of us have been hungry a time or two. But what these children face is something different.
Poor children aren’t just hungry–they’re STARVING.
Six million children a year die from malnutrition.
In terms of lives lost, that’s like a holocaust of hunger, worldwide. Every year.
Pause, and think about that.
I’ve cried about hungry children for a long time. But you know what? Tears never filled a belly.
When I meet my Maker, I don’t want to stand before Him and say,
Well, yeah, I remember that You called us to care for orphans, to attend to the least of these, to feed Your sheep. And yeah, I knew about these helpless children with no hope, no future.
What did I do about it? Well, I felt really bad, God. Honest. I did.
Maybe you think starvation is caused by politics.
And it could be you’re right. I’m not fond of politics, myself. Whatever you think about the politics of starvation, we can agree on this:
Babies don’t vote for candidates. Babies don’t stage coups. They don’t determine national policy. But they starve anyway.
Maybe you think starvation results from poor personal decisions.
And that might be true. But however deeply you believe that poverty results from bad personal decisions (even in desperately poor nations), I’d like you to consider this fact:
No six-year-old ever had a chance to choose whether to be poor. Children come with tiny little bootstraps, you see–not big enough to haul themselves right out of the conditions today in Haiti. In Bangladesh. In Rwanda.
Last year, we finally committed to sponsoring a child through Compassion International. It’s a tiny step, but it is worlds apart from doing nothing. Now I’ve committed to using this space to help spread their message. Once a month or so, the kind people at Compassion will ask me to write about something, and I’ll share here.
If blogging for Compassion isn’t your thing, consider these other steps:
- Pray for provision for the millions of starving people on our planet.
- Consider sponsoring a child. If you can wring $38 from your monthly budget, you can change a life.
- Consider a one-time donation to Compassion or another starvation-fighting organization.
- Support your local food bank.
- Serve at your local soup kitchen. Or just buy somebody a sandwich.
You can care for Jesus today, you know. Won’t you?
34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Matthew 25:34-40 (NASB)
Miss Sheila – thank you for sharing your heart and His Truth via this piece. That Matthew scripture is so very convicting and is one I think of often.
We sponsor through Amazima. It’s so amazing to learn about each child and to pray for these kids by name. Part of why we’ve chosen to live simple is because of our sponsor. If she has to walk a half mile for clean water, I reckon we can do without a dishwasher & microwave & clothes dryer… everyday reminders that although we don’t live like most of America, most of the world doesn’t live like us.
May God bless you as you shine His light!
In Christ,
love
darlene
Oh, Darlene, you’re an example. A shining one. Bless you.
Shelia – Thanks for sharing your heart with us here. We have been sponsors of various compassion children over the years… It was always interesting to us how our own children connected with the Compassion child. The photos and letters make it such a personal experience. God bless you in your own compassion.
I bet that would be something! I had an interesting chat with our nine-year-old grandson not too long ago about the boy whose picture is on our fridge. . .
Grace calls Nduta (Our Compassion girl–English name Lucy–but I like Nduta) her sister. When Grace says something like “I’m starving,” and then refuses the food placed in front of her because she doesn’t like it, I remind her that Nduta is grateful for every bite that we help provide–and that she (Grace) has no clue what it’s like to starve. I can’t wait to take her on a mission trip.
You leak compassion, friend.
We say it all the time, don’t we? “I’m starved!”
Thanks for your kind words, Sandy. I can’t wait to hear about that trip.
Thank you so much for sharing your heart! And what a beautifully written post.
Brianne, thank you. It’s my privilege.