Her eyes were filled with tears as she buried her little head into my shoulder after falling off the swing,  “Mommy, it hurts.”  I held her, checked her wound, patted her on the back, and kissed her cheek…a typical interaction between a child and her mother.  My eyes drifted beyond my daughter as I watched 28 sets of wide eyes staring at this strange display of affection. 

Earlier that same day at the orphanage, little 6-year-old Goti fell on the concrete.  He scraped his knee and the palm of his hand.  I watched as he ran off to the side and cried alone.  He looked for no one; he ran to no one; his short life had already conditioned him to soothe his own pain and fear.  I walked over to Goti and as he climbed on my lap I explained, in very broken Swahili, that I was sorry for his pain.  I kissed his little knee and his hand.  He rested on my shoulder.  Even after his “full recovery”, Goti, made several trips back to me to ask for another kiss on his hand.  

What a vast difference between the lives of Goti and Claire.  It doesn’t seem fair. 

But I know that you cannot be a mother and not have, built into your very core, a desire to help a child in need.

Our heart breaks for the millions of parentless children in our part of the world.  Every child should have someone to run to, someone who cares.  This is why we are here.  Not for the orphaned child alone, but for an even greater crisis.; for the person who does not know Christ. In my life…I run to HIM…in every fear, heartache, pain, trial…I have my FATHER to run to.  “Run to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I WILL give you rest.” 

It’s heartbreaking that some have never even heard the name of Christ.  It should grieve you if you know the greatest news of all time and you are unwilling to share that hope, that life changing, eternity changing hope with others.

You cannot be a Christian and not have, built into your very core, a desire to share Christ, our only hope in life and death, with those who do not know HIM.  If you know HIM, truly know the joy, the liberating grace and mercy of HIM…then you are cruel to not share that with others. 

Would we turn the other way as Goti cried alone?  Why are we, as believers, turning away from the lost and broken people that God has placed in our paths? 

Be zealous to share OUR HOPE OF CHRIST with a lost world.

James MacDonald: “If you want only enough of Christ to save yourself, then you probably don’t have enough to do even that.”