Speechless....

Reading this girl's blog (thanks Amanda for sharing it) has had me on a roller coaster of emotions... which I'm usually on;). She has sacrificed the comforts of home and followed God to her new home... Uganda. She's 20 years old and mothers 13 Ugandan children and provides food and education for 400 others. Why?? Because it's what WE are ALL called to do! This is not just her passion or her gifting!!! This is OUR job!! All too often we are spectators sitting on the sidelines of this spiritual war. Am I saying that we are all suppose to move to Uganda? No, probably not BUT I can't tell you how many christians I know (most of the christians I know) who SIT by and allow attrocities to continue and NEVER do anything about it!! I may not be able to be in Uganda caring for these sick, dying children but by golly I will do my part while I am here... I will share their plight with as many as I know so that their hearts are pricked and burdened by their suffering. I will continue to sponsor a child so they can go to school, I will use my gifts and talents to share His love with those I come in contact with and pray without ceasing for the hurt and dying in the world. GET off YOUR couch and DO something!!! Here's an excerpt from her blog that I love.... READ it and let it break your heart for these children!

I am MAD. I have been sad and broken for these children for so long and it has finally turned into a hardened anger. I am angry that this culture so lies to women that Michael's stepmother believes that she does not have to care for this child who is not biologically hers, though she has ample means to. I am angry that in the "Pearl of Africa" and the most fertile region of it at that, a mother has litteraly NO food to feed her baby, not to mention herself or 6 other kids. I am angry that the result of this is that these sweet ones suffer in their innocence. I have said it before and it still holds true: I DO NOT BELIEVE that the God of the universe created too many children in His image and not enough love or food or care to go around. In fact I believe that He created the Body of Christ for just that, to help these little ones, the least of these. And I believe that except for a handful, the Body of Christ is failing. And its not just me who thinks this. When I'm angry, I like to research so that I can at least feel a bit justified in my rage ;) According to several differnt resources, there are an average of 147 million orphaned children in the world today (this statistic includes children who have lost only one parent as well), 11 million children starve to death each year or die from preventable, treatable illness. 8.5 million children work as child slaves, prostitutes, or in other horrific conditions (making things like that cute baby Gap dress Jane wore today...) 2.3 million children world wide are living with HIV.

That is 168.8 million needy children like Michael and Patricia. Seems like a big number, huh? It shouldn't, because there are 2.1 BILLION people on this earth who profess to be Christians. Jesus followers. Servants. Gospel live-ers. And id only 8 percent of those Christians would care for just ONE of these needy children, they would all be taken care of.

And now I'm just sad again. And I want to take care of all 169 million. But as I look into Patricia's eyes, that since just 48 hours ago have turned bright and smiley, as I smell her hair freshly washed with baby shampoo and snuggle her into her new footie pajamas (side note: is their ANYTHING cuter than a baby in soft cotton footie pajamas?!) God tells me that this one is enough. That He will hold the others while they wait for someone to come along and hold them tight and give them their milk and their medicine. That He doesn't ask me to take them all but to stop for the ONE because that one is Jesus, His son. Stop for the little boy with white haid and scabs covering his body, stop for the baby with feces covering her dress, so weak she can't hold up her hear. Stop and take the ones right in front of me any trust Him with the rest. He whispers that it will be ok and that I can smile because tonight 2 less children are hungry and that is good for today.