We've got a house bursting at the seams with things for this little guy. Amidst all of the home improvement projects we've got going on we have stashed all of the baby things in the dining room for now. Hopefully starting this weekend we can begin to put the upstairs back together and start the process of setting up the nursery. This kid has so much stuff!
Amidst all the celebrations for baby B however, a recent church service made me ugly cry for an ENTIRE hour as our pastor talked to us about compassion, child sponsorship and the new ministry our church is supporting. We are now funding a Compassion International project in Ecuador and along with it, the congregation received the opportunity to sponsor children from the area we'll be helping to support.
As the pastor told stories and showed videos of how much getting a sponsor meant to the children in this impoverished area my heart just broke.
How does my baby have so much and these babies and children have so very little. Baby Bruce is loved just as much by God as these other children, yet will enter this world in a few weeks wanting for absolutely nothing. He'll have a safe, modern home, married mom& dad who love him, clothes, blankets, toys, books, food, clean water, air conditioning, even a room and bathroom all of his own. Shoot, this kid won't have to beg for a dog (he'll have 3 to pick from) or even a pony, we've got one of those too (not that I'm letting him ride Spots anytime in the next 10 years, safety first).
But in all seriousness, I just don't get it. What I do know is that we've been given much not for our own comfort but in order to help make the lives of those less fortunate more comfortable. I think many people, especially non-Christians/believers look at God and say:
HOW does a loving God allow children to suffer?
I think the real question is:
How do WE?
For those of us blessed with more than we could ever actually need how do we help those who do not have what they need? That's what God calls us to. He doesn't call us to wait and watch on the sidelines for Him provide for others in some fishes and loaves way only He can. He tells those of us He's given so much to already to go out and give what's ours (which is really His technically anyways, right?) to those who are not as fortunate. We're called to not love this life or the things of this world.
"Whoever is kind to the needy honors God." Proverbs 14:31
We sponsored another child that day at the end of service. His name is Bryan, he's 15 years old. Why an older kid? Well, he was the sponsorship packet on my husband's seat, simple as that. Older kids needs support too. So I guess we technically have 4 kids! Baby B, Bryan (Ecuador), Luz (Columbia) and Ridoi (Asia).
Living in a very affluent area I think we get numb to what a need really is and we get confused about what compassion really means. Our pastor made a point in his message that I just loved...
Compassion is not a feeling, Compassion is an action.
We can all feel compassion when we see a poor child or sad situation, but the question is...so what are we going to do about it now that we know about it? I'm trying to do more. Now, that's a little tricky 8 months prego, but for now that more is sponsoring our kids and writing them letters of encouragement. You can go on Compassion's site and sponsor a child today too!
