Hungry

They were sitting watching a movie, eating popcorn, dropping crumbs on carpet. I was reading computer news and across the waves of the web came these images. Scenes from a land scortched in heat. Not too unlike our midwest, only longer and more intense. Images that left me speechless and mouth all dry. Before I notice, children come over to me and see the eyes of a fellow child. He's the same age as my little one; only his his body has no muscle and his diseased eyes hold no sparkle of life. My little one asks what is wrong with that little one. As a Mama, how do you explain drought, disease, malnutrition, hopelessness to wee little ones? But I try. "There is no rain," I manage. "No food will grow there. The people have to wait for others to bring them food." My heart is aching. Daughter speaks first, "They'll be ok! God won't let anything happen." I don't know what to say. I try, "Well, sometimes God wants us to help. To be his helpers." Little one runs to pantry. Grabs two cans of soup, all his hands can hold. "Send this to them Mama." My heart breaks a little more. Oh how I wish I could just send it. "Well, we really can't do that, but there is a way..." I click a few times and find this. "We can do this." I say.

Who would have thought...from my cell phone, a simple text could send food to a hungry child half way around this globe. I make the numbers appear on the screen and hit send. "The money will go from our bank to those children." I attempt not to cry. Little one runs to his room, I hear coins clang against glass. Back he runs, hand clutching coins he has worked for, made bed, put up dishes, set table for. "This is money for the poor. Send it to them." I swallow hard and take the gift. It weighs heavy in my hand. Who is this child teaching me compassion? I hug children close that night, we pray for little African children and for rain.

This has run through my mind for days now. I wake Sunday morning, a lump in my throat...are my children not all too unlike those children? Oh, mine have full bellies and are relatively healthy in body. But God prodes on. How about the spirit, Sara? Could it be that my children look spiritually like those children look physically? The throat constricts more. Do I feed them from the Word each and every day? The only bread that gives life? Do I serve them a drink from the Living Water every day? The only water that quenches all thirst so that we never thirst again. I repent. Right there in the shower with water falling down to wash away my neglect and malnutrition. The starving of my own soul and those of my little ones. I resolve...I will feed them every day. I must or they too will waste away hungry, thirsty.

Looking for Grace,