What Can I Do?

I tossed and turned all night. Images and circumstances I experienced in Africa were overtaking my dreams. I was so distraught I literally began to sob in my sleep. So overwhelmingly that I woke myself up. My heart and mind were going thousands of miles away without me telling them to. They were fleeing to the babies I held a few weeks ago. The ones I loved. The ones who would hang on me, cry out to me and cling to me as I tearfully told them I had to leave. My heart was searching them out. I got on to check my email and my attention was drawn to this article about the famine in Africa. Anything Africa interests me, so I clicked on it and when I did I saw this...

Clicking through the pictures I began to sob again. I am not saying this lightly. My heart was hurting so badly that I was sick to my stomach. These beautiful people are not just people to me. These are my babies. These are the ones the Lord has placed in my heart. These are the children that taught me how to worship whole heartily. These are the blessed ones who showed me what true reliance on the Father looks like.

They are hurting-- dying--and I am sitting back in my nicely air conditioned apartment in the United States and doing nothing. I use to try and justify myself.... well I sponsor a child in Africa. And? What else? I don't think in James 1:27 it says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.... (and after you go on a mission trip and sponsor a child or two you are excused from this!)"

I read today that 9 MILLION people die a year from hunger or hunger related causes. All this is going on as I throw half of my breakfast away because I don't feel like finishing it. Or as I go out to eat for the 6th time in one week. As I complain about how I am gaining weight and wish I could lose a few pounds.

Ridiculous.

What can I do? How can I make an impact? I feel so helpless. The most severe drought and famine in 60 years is occurring in Somalia and Kenya and threatening the lives of 11 million people--a majority of those are children. I just got back from Kenya... that means my babies are endangered. So what can I do? I can help through organizations with the means to make something happen. I sponsor kids through an organization called World Vision. They are in Africa and there is a way you can donate to help out these hunger pains.

So you only get to eat out twice a week. So you can't go to a movie every weekend for a while. Do you realize if you simply with held going to the movies every Friday for two months (Sept. and Oct.) that would be $85.50. If you get candy and a drink every time that would be about $144.00. One hundred and fourty-four dollars... that simple. When you look and see that we are the "wealthiest country" it should be hard to say no. Do you know that if you own a car you are wealthier that 93% of the world?

We should feel guilty not helping. It doesn't take a lot to make such a huge impact. Donate and or sponsor a child. You could save a life. A precious child of our most high God. A brother or sister.

Click on World Vision Food Crisis

and help end this horrible famine that is stealing the lives of this precious people group!

::Lord I pray you burden our hearts to love your children. I pray you burden our hearts to get on our faces for these people. God you are bigger than any drought or famine. You can speak it to be and rain can come flooding down from the heavens. Father give us faith and a desire to intercede for this people group and pray on their behalves. Lord I ask for you to allow food and nutrition to get to them. I ask for help. I pray that your people are fed and healed not only physically but spiritually as well.::