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7.28.2008

Those in Distress...

Adoption has been so heavy on my heart lately. Possibly spurred on by the week with my little sister...


But, also by the blogs I've been reading... Check some of these out.

Ethiopia or Bust!

A Bushel and A Peck

Or check out RLC's site for LOTS of different adoption blogs


Right now there is a "green famine" in Ethiopia... That means their fields are full of green vibrant plants - that are not yet ready to be harvested. In a few months, they will be able to harvest that food, however right now - they are starving. And the harvest will help those able to harvest the food... for others, especially those in urban areas, the cost of food is too high. They can't buy enough, if any, to fill their empty bellies.


My heart is breaking for people all around the world waking up with empty bellies and little hope of filling them today. Especially when I sit here in my comfy apartment with my pantry stocked... I may not like the 5 cans of sweet peas I have and I'll probably throw away my mushy cucumber today - and the most food-associated stuff I'll worry about today is what dessert I'm making to take to friends and if I'll like what they make for dinner.


I can't feed all of the starving people in Africa or Asia or even here in America... but God has laid such an incredible burden inside of me. I'm not sure what He will do or where He will lead me - but I can't just sit here, shed a few tears, and then go munch on some Oreos.



God calls us all to different things...

  • My Uncle Stu & Aunt Marsha have gone to Kampala, Uganda with the Rafiki Foundation.


  • Our friends the Bushes will be leaving for Mozambique in a week. They are with Children's Relief International.


  • God has called my parents to "secular" jobs, to be the youth leaders at their church, and to adopt my youngest sister.


  • Cory & I have been called to Rochester, NY - to work full-time with the youth of Lakeshore Community Church and the surrounding area.

For some of us - He calls us overseas to work through and in the daily grind of poverty and hunger. For some of us - He calls us to create a refuge and bring children out of that life of hunger and into our life. For some of us - He calls us to financially & spiritually support those on the front-lines.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27a

What are you doing to look after the orphans and widows that are in distress? Maybe you don't know any orphans or widows in your day-to-day life... but, do you see people in distress around you? What are you doing for them? Are you contenting yourself with simply a pitying glance and a quick prayer. Or are you allowing yourself to get messy? I'm not suggesting that you participate in anything sinful (James 1:27b says, "and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.") BUT - I am asking you to join with me and do something!

Cory has mentioned this article, "The Role of the Righteous Wealthy," before - but if you haven't read it before - I can't encourage you enough to read it now!

I know I've kinda jumped on a soapbox... and I'm not sorry. :) Thanks for listening!

1 comment:

Jack said...

Shanna, I was reminded about our devotional study during TLC last week. All week we were reminded about Nehemiah's burden, how he took his burden to God in prayer, how he made himself available, and how he asked God for a plan. That was just in the first two chapters. What can we do? Consider what Nehemiah did with his burden and how he proceeded.
Love Ya, Dad.