And [Jesus] said to His disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious and troubled [with cares] about your life, as to what you will [have to] eat; or about your body, as to what you will [have to] wear. For life is more than food, and the body [more] than clothes. Observe and consider the birds; for they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn; and [yet] God feeds them. Of how much more worth are you than the birds!
Luke 12: 12-24 (Amplified)
Hatched in a nest, covered and fed by a mother until one day the bird fell from the building ledge to the ground below...Born in a hospital, covered and fed by a mother until one day the man left his home and found himself living under a ledge of a building...Born in hospital, covered and fed by a mother until one day the girl left her home and moved to Romania...Under the shadow of the ledge in Romania is where these lives came together.
Shortly after we arrived to greet this familiar face living on the streets from last year we met his new friend a baby bird. He reached over and pulled out a tiny bird now living in his new home, a wooden crate. We brought sandwiches for the man which he quickly unwrapped and began rolling little balls of bread between his fingers to feed his new friend. With one hand he opened the beak of the bird and the other he put the bread in the birds mouth. He waited patiently for the bird to swallow and then again another little ball of bread. After the bread the man put some water in his mouth, put the bird to his lips and the bird began to drink the water. Then he spit the water out. At first I was a little grossed out, but then I saw something so incredible, so sweet and enduring.
STOP! SCRATCH! (I hear a sound of a record with the needle sliding across) I have been trying to write this blog since last week...To say something beautiful profound, but the reality is that there is nothing beautiful about it! Nothing beautiful about a man living on the streets for years and his only hope in the day is to feed a bird! Although it was very sweet it makes me sad! Sad that he lives day after day, night after night on the streets. Giving him a sandwich makes me feel better but it is only a band aid to a much bigger problem.
Everyday it is hard here, it is emotionally, spiritually and physically draining. My eyes have seen and ears have heard more terrible things than I care to see or hear in a life time. My head spins with how, when and where to help! Families living in deplorable conditions, with no money to feed their kids but enough money to drink beer. Families who live in the dark because they have no work and money for electricity. Kids dieing in fires while left unattended by their parents. Families living in the dumpster waiting for the trash of others just to survive another day. Babies left in the hospital by their mothers. Kids stay on the streets all day begging for money to support their families. Trust me the beat goes on I can certainly tell more!
My heart cries out to God for wisdom! How do I help, when do I help, where should I help? The purpose is to love them and help meet their needs not be the saviour of their lives. Once you help, when is it enough help? People begin to look to me to meet their needs not God and this begins to be a problem, for me and them. I am here to show them the love of Christ not be their provider. When is enough, enough and how do you stop what you started...When, how, what, where? Everyday I need God to guide and direct me!
How do I not feel guilty for buying Coca Cola and passing my neighbors who probably barely have enough pension to eat themselves. I mean really, I buy more soda in a month than they may receive for a salary. My rent alone is the same as 3 months salary for a local family. When it is 90 degrees in my house and it feels as I am the only one who can enjoy air conditioning, others stay outside under the tree. I am not rich by any means but certainly enjoy more luxuries than most. I struggled to turn on the air, they tell me it is very expensive and even I was concerned about trusting God for air but I could not take the heat any longer and when that first blast of cold air come out, honest, I danced with gratitude that I even had the option to turn it on!
Poor vs. poverty, the question rolls in my head day and night. I know I can't fix it but I sure want to! It breaks my heart seeing people struggle and trust me I understand in some cases it is their decision and that is all they know but that doesn't make it any easier to see and watch. How they live is not wrong either, it just is the way it is. My way of living isn't necessarily right, it could be wrong. I don't know it is so interesting the discussions I have with myself and God.
What is true and lovely is how much joy I experience in a day, despite the tragedy of what I see and hear. A visit to the kids homes from the center, I felt like a rock star! I did not have enough arms, legs or fingers to hold each of their hands. Some ran to their homes and swept the dirt from the dirt to make the paths to their homes clean. Their families, despite the conditions, opened their homes to us and invited us in for tea, coffee or soda. Seeing one of the kids jump out of the dumpster and run to me with a huge smile and a hug. Hearing the babies in the hospital belly laugh with joy at the stupid faces you make at them. Seeing a homeless man have so much joy over feeding a bird from his mouth!
For life is more than food, and the body [more] than clothes. Observe and consider the birds; for they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn; and [yet] God feeds them.
Of how much more worth are you than the birds!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rW528qiYw (thanks Debbie)
