Those kids!

 

Our church hosted a children’s choir from World Help Ministries on Sunday night.  Little ones from Nepal, the Philippines, Uganda, and Honduras sang with their whole hearts about Jesus. Between songs we were reminded of the poverty, malnutrition, and lack of basic needs that are part of life for so many children around the world.  My eyes were wet with tears and I wondered, “Lord, why do I enjoy so many blessings when others do not have even clean water?”   

Sunday evening, Bev and I hosted Rina, a young woman from Nepal, who helps with the children; to Radhika, a 10 year old girl from Nepal, and to Linah, a 9 year old from Uganda.  What joy!  A couple of their friends from the choir joined us for dinner last night and our table rocked with laughter. Did I mention that those kids can eat?

Does the work of groups like World Help, Compassion, or World Vision, matching American sponsors with children in developing nations make any difference? Can $40/month, less than the cost of one dinner out for us, do anything meaningful for a child in Honduras or Nepal?  Yes and yes, again.  These kids (and their chaperone) are living proof. Rina told us about being abandoned by her father, her Mom a single mother with three daughters she could not feed.  World Help came alongside, gave Rina a home, food, medical care, and an education – all on less than $40/month! Today, she is a beautiful healthy young woman, who knows Christ, who has a bright future.

One day Jesus was teaching and ministering when some parents brought their children to Him.  The disciples tried to protect the Lord from this ‘nuisance,’ not seeing the value of those kids!  Jesus’ response is familiar and needs to direct us today!  "One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17, NLT)

Two statements stand out in His words.  “Let the children come to me.” And, “the Kingdom belongs to those who are like these children.”  Jesus loves those kids!  He is looking for the same kind of open earnest love in us that a child shows.  I received a dozen hugs from those little girls yesterday. “Thank you, Uncle, for dinner, for the nice bed, for letting us come to your house.”  Will I come to my Father in heaven with that kind of gratitude, taking this day from Him with joy?

My prayer as I walked in the darkness of the early morning was that my hands would be His hands, my feet His feet, my money His treasure, my life His life!  I want to love those kids and a thousand more here and ‘round the world in His Name.  I pray that my life will inspire them to trust Him.  How about you, Christian?

Here’s the word from the Word. "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." (James 1:27, NIV)

Here’s a place to start:  http://worldhelp.net/sponsor-a-child/

____________

Hands And Feet

I wanna be Your hands,

I wanna be Your feet.

I'll go where You send me,

I'll go where You send me!

I'll be Your hands,

I'll be Your feet.

I'll go where You send me,

I'll go where You send me!

And I'll try, yeah, I'll try

To touch the world
like You touched my life,

And I'll find my way

to be Your hands.

Bob Herdman | Charlie Peacock | Mark Stuart | Tyler Burkum | Will McGinniss

© 1999 Allen Vaughn and Ray Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Andi Beat Goes On Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055