Quote of the Week

"It's only by amazing grace you are born where you are - to be abundant, amazing grace for someone else....what God's graciously given you is always enough to be abundant grace for someone else."

-Ann Voskamp

Of Course She Can

First time skating...and loving it!

It Needs to be Said

Shop anywhere, go on FB, watch the Olympics and you'll see...Americans love animals.  Seems you can't really go far without running into someone advocating for them.

Bumper stickers saying "Adopt Pets" or "Who Adopted Who?" abound.

People are constantly promoting animal welfare through pictures and mems on the internet.
NBC couldn't get enough of the Olympic athletes who were shocked and saddened to find homeless animals.

It's sad when animals are without love.  And animal abuse is wrong.

But why does it feel like more people talk about the abuse of dogs than children?  Where is the concern for the mistreatment and neglect of the most vulnerable of people? 

How is it possible that we could talk about dogs not having homes in Russia when there are orphanages in Russia that are deplorable, heinous even...and international adoptions have been shut down?  Children in other former Soviet nations are being treated like Holocaust victims...emaciated, tortured, and abused.  Where is the concern over what will happen to these children?

Did you know that Americans spent $43 billion dollars on their pets last year and an additional   $3.2 billion on grooming and boarding.  

Fido's getting his nails done while children wait day after day for help.

Are you KIDDING ME?!

We're putting sweaters on dogs while children freeze in their beds.

We're buying Easter puppy candy when babies are starving.

We're buying insurance for pet health care when children are literally dying of preventable diseases.

To me, there is no greater definition of insanity.

You may say, "Why can't we do both?  Love animals and people?"

We can.  In fact, there is a wonderful woman in our church who is fostering dogs.  It's a ministry that fits well with her set of circumstances right now.  Dogs can provide such amazing comfort and bring joy to a home.  But this woman understands that a dog is not the same as a child....she is doing BOTH...she supports adoptive families financially, emotionally and physically AND she is caring for animals.

The problem is, I'm pretty sure she's the minority

because

if pet lovers everywhere put that same passion into helping PEOPLE that they do into caring for animals, we would see dramatic changes in the world.

I've got a theory.  I think that a whole lot of people actually do care about children in need.  The problem is that we grow paralyzed when we consider how big the problem is.  The statistics are staggering. 

29 million people are currently enslaved around the world, and overwhelming number of them are children.  That's the largest number in human history, in case you're wondering*

15 million orphan children are waiting for homes.

1 child dies every 5 seconds from hunger. 

It's overwhelming.  So we distract ourselves with bejeweled pet collars and pretend that life is fine.

But it isn't fine.

I'm reading a woman's memoirs of her four years spent as a volunteer in an orphanage in China.  It's called Silent Tears and she's named the book that in honor of the children who no longer make a sound when they cry because they have already learned that no one comes.

It's the same in the villages of Africa where entire families suffer from HIV and AIDS and hunger.  It's the same in India where children lie on the street because they're born in the wrong caste system.  It's the same on the streets of China where the handicapped are shunned.  It's the same in America where young girls are trafficked into lives of prostitution with no hope for escape.

Friends, if we advocate for animals...can't we advocate for children?  Can't we?

What does that look like?

For one special person in my life, it looks getting to know the young son of a migrant worker, and stepping into his life by providing emotional support, an education in a good school, tutoring, and the chance to play baseball.  :-)

For another person, it's advocating for kids in foster care here in the United States.

For another, it's adoption.

For another, it's child sponsorship.

What is it for you? 

Those who are aware of the plight of children around the world must speak up.  We have to talk about it.  We have to advocate for the most vulnerable.  We have to fight for them!  They cannot fight for themselves!

We go to Target and shop the pet aisles.  Surely we can go to the children.

Can't we?

*http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/human-trafficking-month_n_4590587.html

**http://echonet.org/world-hunger-statistics/

Ever wonder how many times God will forgive you?  Always.  You can count on it!