The Real World

 Could your two year old toddler survive if he had to beg your neighbors for food?

As I opened my mail this evening this question was printed in red across an envelope I received from Kids Alive International, a christian organization that provides care for children at risk. Reading this question made my heart very heavy. Could my two year old toddler survive if he had to beg my neighbors for food? I told myself not to think about it. And then the guilt came. How could I not think about it. Clearly this question was being asked because somewhere in the world there was a two year old begging for food to survive. Again, I sit here and cringe. Could my sweet two year old survive? I don't know. Thankfully it is an unlikely fate for our children. But the reality is children living in underdeveloped countries face this dilemma daily, without hope for change. Unless the Holy Spirit gives us a nudge and we make a difference. I realized quickly the first way to make a difference is to stop telling myself not to think about it. I often hear of the suffering that is had by children in other parts of the world. I feel extremely compelled to find out what can be done to make a difference in there lives. Possibly a donation, clothes, food, shoes, a teddy bear, or the Bible. But too quickly they are forgotten. We go back to the busy life we live. Full of freedom, joy, family, friends, shelter, and an abundance of food. All of these things readily available and easily taken for granted. I am the first to be miserably guilty of that. How many times can I possibly complain about something trivial in my life? Far too many. But oh so quickly (thank you God) I am reminded of how blessed I am and how many things I have to be thankful for. As I write this, a picture of my darling wide eyed two year old continues to cross my mind. My sweet Calvin will never have to face the harsh reality of keeping himself alive at the tender age of two. But unfortunately there are countless little ones enduring exactly that. Now I don't only ask myself what I can do to make a difference but, what can I do to remember there is more to this life than myself? A difficult task at hand for sure.