If I had to list three things that break my heart it would be 1) the orphan crisis, 2) poverty, and 3) the elderly. I have been reading
MckMama blog this past week while they were in Kenya. Due to our international postings, Ron and I have seen first hand people living in poverty. One of my first memories of living in Cairo was a small child sleeping on a piece of cardboard while flies swarmed around the child. I remember a family of five living underneath the stairs of our first apartment building in Cairo, and the only toys the kids had were sticks and rocks. Ron tells me it is worse in places he has worked but I have not visited. I have seen the poverty MckMama wrote about in third world countries so I was not surprised at what they saw in the slums of Nairobi.
While in Trinidad, we were blessed with an opportunity to work with a local orphanage and sponsor a young boy named Ronald who was four years old when we first met. The houseparent was so supportive of efforts by the International Women's Club and we were even allowed to take the children out for visits. On our first visit with Ronald we went to McDonald's and we are sure it was his first trip to a restaurant. Ronald's first reaction when given the Happy Meal was to wait patiently for what we wanted him to do next instead of digging into the box for the toy. We remember that he consumed every drop of ketchup, but wrapped up half of his burger to take to his brother. (It was later that we realized what he was doing with half the burger.) It was very difficult saying goodbye to the boys when we left Trinidad, but I got a chance to surprise them and returned about 18 months later to check on them. Ronald is the one in the red and blue shirt and jean shorts.
Many of you have been to orphanages and are probably thinking this one does not look bad. I wish I had pictures of what it looked like when we first moved to Trinidad. Kudos to the drilling department in Trinidad and Tobago who worked with a young Eagle Scout candidate to paint the first floor of the orphanage. Also, the International Women's Club is responsible for the new floor on the first floor.
For me there are few things in life sadder then a nursing home. It's hard to believe that Mother is coming up on her one year anniversary as a resident of a nursing home. We try our best to get there daily around mealtimes to encourage her to eat something. Today when we arrived she was sitting at the table, had not touched her meal, and was sound asleep. Over the last few months we have watched her regress, and it's almost like she is forgetting the very basics of life. As I looked around the dining room I was saddened to see so many people struggling so hard with such a simple task as eating a meal. Today in that dining hall, I realized what MckMama was saying about taking things for granted. As Americans we live such a blessed life, and my struggles pale when compared to those living in third world countries, or the elderly in a nursing home.
I also liked the point MckMama raised upon returning home about her children and what we are teaching our children in regard to such things as orphan crises, poverty, and the elderly. Andy and Ashley both got to visit the children in the orphanage in Trinidad, and it's my prayer that it impacted them to the point that they have a heart for the needs of others. They witnessed the poverty as they traveled with us. Although our children are now grown and on their own, I believe they are quietly watching our reactions and support of things like orphans, poverty and the eldery. It does not matter if our children are toddlers or young adults, they watch and observe their parents. So for now, we will continue to care for Mother the best we can and although we do not feel called to adopt we can support the orphan crises in other ways. We will respond because it's the right thing to do, and because these faces are also watching us even though they are adults. How about you? What breaks your heart?
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