Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Share Your Compassion


I was delighted today as I was going through my mail to find a letter from one of our Compassion children, Elias. Elias is a 7 year old boy from Guatemala. My family has committed to sponsoring Elias financially ($38 a month) and we are committed to praying for him and his family daily. I smiled as he wrote that he was enjoying school (he struggled last year and asked us to pray) and was surprised when he said he keeps our picture in the drawer by his bed. We have totally fallen in love with Elias, a little boy we've never met but is a part of the Byler family. My children speak daily of Elias and they NEVER forget to pray for him at dinner (even if mommy and daddy do forget).

If you know me, you know I carry a burden for the poor, the hungry, and the orphaned. I always have. My parents raised me to be aware of the needs around me and the importance of helping others. As I grew into adulthood the burden grew. It was growing because I wasn't doing anything to help those less fortunate than me. I just felt sorry for them. What good does that do anyone?


In addition to sponsoring children, and having the opportunity to go on several missions trips, I've determined to bring awareness to these issues. Wait--I don't like how that sounds--these are not issues, they are human beings. People living and breathing, RIGHT NOW. How can we as fellow human beings NOT do something!? What if you hadn't been born in America? What if you were trying to figure out how you were going to feed your children dinner? What if your only hope was that someone would answer the call of love and sponsor your child?

Let me share a excerpt from Kay Warren's book 'Dangerous Surrender'

"It's very easy for us to remain aloof and untouched by the suffering that defines the existence of the vast majority of people on this planet. I have read that if you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of the people in this world! If you have any money in the bank and some in your wallet and some spare change in a dish somewhere, you are among the top 8 percent of the world's wealthy"

Luke 12:48 To whom much is given, much is required.

I know times are 'tough' with the economy but we are STILL more fortunate than most in the world. Consider giving up your daily Starbucks and brewing your coffee at home, or gather your spare change on your dresser and start a "Compassion Jar"...I'm sure if you get creative you can come up with $38 a month.

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish" -Mother Teresa

OUCH.

I pray that each person that reads this will see how blessed you are and I pray that you go straight from this blog to the Compassion website (I'll add a link) and change the life of one child.

http://www.compassion.com/


"If you can't feed one hundred people, then just feed one" - Mother Teresa

Sarah

2 comments:

  1. Again, another wonderful post. My family too supports a little boy named Cosmos from Kenya through Compassion. I was brought up with homeless people in and out of our home. (my mom work for an organization through our churh that helped the homeless get back into housing and jobs but also provided discipleship) After going to India 3 years ago, I really got to see the kind of walk Jesus walked-among those who needed Him. If we are supposed to allow Christ to live THROUGH us, then it's a no brainer that we should help those-"the least of these".
    Thanks for sharing!

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  2. I appreciate the fact that it is not hard to find your heart when reading your posts...particularly this one!

    It is so excruciating to ponder that the emaciated and/or orphaned children whose faces I see on TV could just as easily be my own. There is such unfairness on this side of Heaven.

    We have our Landa Jean, and she's been part of the family for years. Thank you for highlighting not only the need, but the need for action. He has give you a passion and will continue to give you outlets to use it for the good...I'm excited to see where it takes you! (and the rippling effects of it!)

    Jeane`

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