You know, when I see photos like this….
It makes me think of this…
I met him at a school for young children in Chorkor, Ghana – considered to be a “slum” by other Ghanaians. It’s a poor fishing village that sits on the coast and it has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country.
We passed out “biscuits” (which are little cookies) to each child and I noticed this one in particular had slipped his package into his pocket as the rest of the students tore hungrily into their own and ate them within seconds.
“How old do you think that little boy is?” I asked Dana.
“He’s probably around three,” she answers.
This is the age of my youngest child. I pause for a moment to soak this up.
“Why do you think he isn’t opening up his package of biscuits?” I ask.
“Because he’s probably taking it home to share with his family,” Dana replies.
And my eyes well with tears as I toss this around because really, would Spencer save his biscuits for us?
I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t, in fact, I know he wouldn’t because I watched him tear through two chocolate chip cookies today without so much as a glimpse at anyone else in the room. He’s always known excess. He has never wondered when he’ll get to eat again.
And I’m thankful that he wouldn’t think to do this because it means he has enough and yet I mourn the absence of the same innocence in this little boy with the runny nose.
So while there are dogs dining at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, there are countless children who are going to bed hungry every night all over the world. In fact, I would say there are a few hungry kids just blocks from where “Ghengis Khan” is sitting with his out-of-touch owner.
And my heart breaks for what breaks His as well…
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.- Romans 12:2
Oh sweet girl … that is heart breaking … and just … wrong! My son has been on probably a dozen mission trips. The best, and worst, part for him is always the orphanages. He LOVES the children but it hurts his heart to leave them there.
Oh don’t I know the feeling of that, Beth. Thank you for reading and commenting today!
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40
We are the light of this World! We are, not them.
Great work Natalie!!
I’ve always loved that verse, Sylvia. I often have the phrase “Remember the least of these” floating around my mind because I’ve been “the least of these” before.
Thanks for reading and commenting, sweet friend!
Breaks my heart as well. We sponsor a child through Compassion, and it’s my prayer that my own kids see how blessed they are through seeing how our ‘other child’ lives.
Great post!
Yes – sponsoring a child is a great way to teach well, Compassion, to your children. Thanks for reading and commenting, Alecia! I tried to comment on your blog but for some reason, the comment section didn’t pop up…So sorry – but the biscuits look amazing and I’m so going to try them!!!
Natalie, I’ll just jump off the cliff here and say that it drives me crazy how much money people spend on their pets when there are so many people starving and hurting around the world. Why don’t advertisers put their $3Million for a 30 second commercial to better use, like digging fresh water wells? Our society is just so backwards!!
But Cherie? Don’t you know that Ghengis Khan won for “Best in Breed” at the Westminister Dog Show? Surely he deserves to go to lunch at the Plaza, don’t you think?
Oh, we are bad, girl…
I. HEAR. YOU.
And I’m shouting “AMEN, SISTER!” at the top of my lungs…