Indifference

 Learn to do good;

seek justice,

correct oppression;

bring justice to the fatherless,

plead the widow's cause.

Isaiah 1:17

I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way. I'm not a huge fan of using sad pictures of pitiful children with longing faces in order to tug at people's emotional heart strings and cause them to feel guilty about not helping the orphan.  So please hear my heart before I begin...this is not intended to be a guilt trip.  This is a call to fervent prayer.  This is a plea for action. Because as we're sitting around praying about whether or not to get involved in caring for the orphan...they are still waiting.  How long must they wait?

I had the opportunity to visit an orphanage last week.  I don't really know how to respond when people ask me, "So...How was the orphanage?!?!" (In a very excited tone of voice...)  Am I supposed to smile and say, "Oh wonderful, yes, it was wonderful."  Am I supposed to say, "Those little kids are just so darn cute! I wish I could take them all home!"  Or am I supposed to tell the truth.

  No, its not wonderful.  In fact, its one of the saddest places on earth. 

A room with rickety old cribs filled with babies.  A room with no toys--no balls, no matchbox cars, no silly kiddie shows playing in the background. Their little arms reaching up as if they haven't been held for days.  Their little eyes void of life.  So desperate for skin-to-skin contact that he won't even lift his head off my shoulder.  Little hands gripping my shirt as if to say, "Please, don't leave me again..."  Nestled in my arms fast asleep...only to be ripped away and plopped onto the cold tile floor.

I feel helpless.  I feel sad.  I feel mad.  I feel nothing.  I feel ashamed at my lack of hope.  I feel desperate.  I feel restless.  I don't know what to feel.  I can only fall to my knees. This is reality.  

Please, take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a day in the life of an orphan.  Mama doesn't come in the mornings and gently wake you up.  You don't get a warm breakfast as the hustle and bustle of morning fills the house.  You don't go to the doctor for checkups.  You don't get medicine when you feel yucky.  You still feel hungry.  You feel a little sad...no one to hold you. Might as well stop crying, what good does it do anyway? The days seem so long. No daddy to play tickle-time. No bath-tonight...a sponge will have to do.  Too many kids, wish there was some peace and quiet.  Its night time.. too quiet.  Afraid of the dark.  Oh well...no one will come if you cry.

Again, please hear my heart.  I'm not trying to paint a pitiful picture to make you feel guilty.  I myself am trying to process what I've seen and heard.  Brothers and Sisters, if we are believers in the most High God...then frankly, the not caring for the least of these is simply not.an.option.  For some reason, we've decided that we'll get involved if  "we feel called".  We say we'll pray about it...but really?  Are we really on our knees before the Almighty, begging Him to move swiftly on behalf of the orphan, the widow, the poor, the trafficked, the hungry, the sick?

When did commands become suggestions?  I don't know, but I pray fervently against this mindset.   God promises to rescue the destitute.  But he promises to use us to do so.

But the problem is so humongous, where do we even begin?  To be honest, I have no idea. This is the question I wrestle with every day.  But one thing I do know--doing nothing is getting us no where.  And you know what? The details can be left up to the Almighty himself.  Why don't we start by falling to our knees?  Why don't we start by specifically asking Him to show us what He wants of us and of our families? Why don't we start by asking Him to transform our hearts so that we will weep when He weeps?

My friends, please take a few minutes to watch this video clip.  May it grip your heart and move you to your knees.  I pray. I pray. I pray that we, the body of the Living God, will be moved to action.  Oh Father, rescue us from this depraved indifference!