Taking Care of Orphans

Orphaned kittens, abandoned puppies, and children with no parent.  In my mind, they are not equal.  The plight of a child in need supersedes animals, yet they all break our heart.

When this kitten was dumped off at my property, I was listening to a radio drama of Oliver Twist.  What an orphaned child went through in the mid-1800 England was shockingly cruel.  Few had any concern for children who ended up running wild in the street.  The only people who kept an eye out for a child in need was often a criminal, looking to exploit the child.

Fortunately, a wave of compassion changed society, one of whom was William Wilberforce, who not only worked tirelessly for twenty years for abolition of slavery, but also to promote care of the poor.  He also was a founder of the British ASPCA.

Some prayers I believe God always answers.  One is "show me where I need to do better."  God seems eager to reveal this.  It is very annoying and always accurate, darn it.  The other is "Lord, give me the heart to care about what you care about."  Be prepared for your heart to be broken, over and over.

We can choose to harden our hearts to pain.  Look how most people run from pain.  I understand that, but buying a new bauble at Wal-Mart or Macy's is hardly going to change the world. 

If we choose to care, to open ourselves up to hurt, we can make a difference.  One life, one donation, one kind comment, can make the difference in a person's life.

Some of us fancy ourselves risk takers in life, yet we won't do anything that shakes up our comfort.

Go out and be afflicted today.  Dare to care about what others overlook.  Get your heartbroken.  You'll feel alive and in tune with what the God of the universe deems vital.