Diving In
Yesterday I received a letter from a woman who was considering helping an orphaned child through LWB. She asked a question in her letter that I have been asked many times: “Why are so many children hurting in our world?” She went on to write that it makes her feel overwhelmed and whether anything she does can really make a difference in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, after working with children in orphanages for the last eight years, I will admit to asking this same question countless times as well. Why are children born only to be abandoned? Why do so many children have to grow up forgotten and alone, without anyone truly invested in their lives? I’ve realized that there is no clear answer to the question of “why?” But I have also realized that there IS an answer to the even more important question of “what now?” And our attitude towards that next question tells a lot about ourselves and how we view the world.
There will always be naysayers who feel our individual efforts are fruitless, but I know without a doubt that to the one tiny baby, lying in an orphanage crib sick and alone…..our answer needs to be “YES”. Yes, we will try. Yes, your life is important to us. Yes, we will do everything possible to let you know the meaning of the word “hope.”
I’ve had people tell me in the past that they are afraid to get involved in helping orphaned children because they think it will hurt too much to become invested in their lives. I of course know firsthand how much it hurts when a child you are trying to help becomes sick or even passes away. But I cannot imagine not trying to help them. I told a friend recently that my job is like standing on the shore of an icy lake, with a distant island of love and warmth in the middle. If you just put in one toe or finger, you would feel the deep cold and be afraid to ever get in. Easing in doesn’t work well either, as you would get about up to your waist and think, “I can’t do this.” No, when it comes to trying to save the life of a child, there is only one way to go….and that is by plunging in. Take one deep breath of faith and dive in completely to try to help them.
On this last day of 2010, I invite you to take that leap into the water with us as well. We can’t answer the question of why so many children around the world live in such need, but we can BE the answer to individual kids who are hurting, and bring them real hope and healing.
Amy Eldridge is the Executive Director of Love Without Boundaries. Please visit our website at lovewithoutboundaries.com to dive in and help us change a life in 2011!
