For most of us, that's just a number. For every one of those children counted among the 147,000,- 000, it's much more than a number; it's their life. I suspect few of them know how they're counted among the millions. Like most of us, they live their existence from one day to the next. But I suppose, unlike most of us, they ponder why they're unique, why they're the one's without mommies and daddies, why they must live among the throngs of others (if they're fortunate) under the care of an institution or the state. Most of these kids are survivors, hoping, waiting, believing that their future might change, that they could possibly have an existence as originally designed, with parents that love them, care for them, cuddle them, dote on them, clean them, feed them... you know, all of the things that we take for granted. But I'm tired of taking all of this for granted. I'm tired of living as if these little children don't matter. I'm tired of forgetting about them. I need reminding.Here's a website that Victoria just turned me on to that will constantly remind me that there are over 147,000,000 orphans on the face of this planet:
Here I can go and shop and purchase merchandise that I can place in the forefront of my vision to stir my mind toward the least of these. These items were designed and manufactured by those in villages suffering from severe hardship and wrestling with homelessness and parentless-ness. And the money expended to purchase these items goes directly toward feeding and caring for the orphans in Uganda. Victoria's already made several Christmas purchases from this site.But there's so much more that we Kruggel's can do. I don't know what it is, but Victoria and I were chatting yesterday afternoon while sitting in the comfort of our backyard and asking what that might be. It dawned on me while we were talking that we're so fat. I mean spiritually fat. We had just returned from a great church service where we heard yet another among the hundreds of great sermons from the Bible challenging us in so many God-fearing ways. I know so much, but what am I doing? Not a whole lot in the scheme of eternity. I (we with Victoria) don't dismiss the raising of our children and the privilege of adopting Poppy and Willow, but it simply cannot stop there. We must, and we will move on and strive for more. Every day that ticks by and we haven't invested into the Kingdom is a day lost, a day gone. Vicki and I are reaching out to others in the field and asking. Pray for us; there's much work to be done and o' so little time.
Speaking of time, I'm in Houston on a business trip, getting tired and need to hit the hay. I know we've been lax writing much lately, and we hope to re-engage with more entries (for our benefit, quite frankly), but life has been awfully demanding of late. Hope to write again soon.
Warmly in Christ,
Tom (& Victoria)
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