But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James 2:14-18 ESV
This morning, this scripture has simply laid me low.
I am not doing enough. WE, as the body of Christ, are not doing enough.
It is true that Jesus told His disciples, "the poor will always be with you" (John 12:8) and the needs will always be present this side of Heaven but I am just hurting for them this morning.
My best friend's hubby and oldest son are currently in Ethiopia having court to bring home two precious, beautiful older boys (and they could use some help, so head over to www.fromgodstummy.blogspot.com and take a look).
She posted pics of the home in which her boys currently live. I am undone.
I'm also chagrined about our agency's 2012 Share Your Summer hosting program that is scheduled to take place in June. 14 orphans from The Philippines will be arriving in Charlotte, NC to be hosted and, prayerfully, find forever families. Although there is some genuine interest and some children being pursued, I truly believed that there would be too many families for the number of children scheduled to participate. That doesn't seem to be the case.
(contact Jim at www.christianadopt.org for more info or to donate so another family can host)
I know I have a narrow scope. Only orphan care. Philippine adoption is "my thing" and it may not be everyone else's calling. I get that. It's been such a miraculous blessing for our family that I WISH everyone would jump on board but I know that God has created Believers with different callings and functions as members of the same body.
It's just hard for me to fathom the vast numbers of Believers who are probably getting up each day, going to their jobs, coming home, eating their delicious dinners, heading to church on Sunday and starting the cycle again on Monday. Can people really go for seven days and not be moved by the plight of children who would love to call them "family"? Kids who would be happy to share a bedroom, a bicycle, the last piece of pie . . . they'd just be grateful to be claimed as a "son" or "daughter".
I am plagued by this knowledge.
On mornings like this, it is too much for me.
As I type, my beautiful Ezekiel sits next to me looking through the book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?". I feel his warmth on my left arm. He is making the sounds of the animals on each page.
The mere thought that my fear or complacency could have caused me to miss all of this brings tears to my eyes. Literally.
And there are so many out there. So many hopeful children - older children who are completely aware of their plights, their need, and can do nothing about it but worry.
I have the photos of 14 of those children. They wait. And they know.
They are all in orphanages. They have all seen families come to claim others.
I know this, too.
Hosting an orphan this summer won't change the whole world. It will change THEIR world. It will change YOUR world.
But once you've seen, you can never "unsee". When your heart is pricked for orphans, that hole does not heal. I don't think I want mine to although some days, I do. It's relentless.
It hurts and it's frustrating but there's something so freeing about living for a "bigger picture". I wouldn't go back if I could.
Pray for those 14 Philippine orphans, I BEG YOU.
Pray for them by name . . . by Ohmar,Aaron, Christian, Edmund, Sarah, Alma, Maria Fe, Kevin, Michael, Alex, John, Andrew, Verzal and Angela. Three girls and eleven boys who have no parents.
14 out of millions.
Precious in His sight.
