A Little Perspective
Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 10:59PM The other day Christian told me that he wanted to give some of his money to the people in Haiti, and yesterday he found some change on one of our tables and he said,"I want to send this to Haiti...$.27!" I told him that was very thoughtful, but that it didn't work quite that way.
I talked with Mike about it, and we thought it would be a good idea to give some of the money we received for Christmas, which was Christian's original idea, to an established organization. After we talked, I checked some things online. While I was looking up these things the kids were dancing.
They were listening to and watching a DVD called Action Bible Songs, singing their little hearts out about the Lord and leaping all over the room. They have no idea what it is like to live in an unsafe place. They have no idea what it is like to have no roof over their heads. They have no idea what it is like not to have a toilet much less no water with which to wash their hands after using the bathroom.
I wish the children in Haiti did not know these things. They should not know these things. No child should, no adult should.
I called them into the living room so that we could sit at the laptop (what a luxury!) and make the online donation all together. We chose World Vision.
I thought Michaela might like to be the one to hit the "submit" button...
Right after we went through the process of looking at the website a little, watching a short video, and making the donation, Christian said,"Can we watch a little video?" I was wary of looking at any more videos, since I hadn't previewed them (although I don't think the World Vision website would put up anything too graphic). I told him no, and he said,"Come on! Just a short video? Daffy Duck?"
I suppose that is good in some ways. I was worried that after seeing some of the pictures of the Haitians he would be very upset; he's pretty sensitive. But in just a few minutes, he had moved on to Looney Tunes. I feel like the world is just that absurd, sometimes. While there is an unimaginable amount of human suffering going on not too far from us, we are in our own hectic day-to-day, where there is not time (or well-used time) or energy to do the things that need to get done in a day. Tonight it is almost 11:30 and my dishes aren't done, the laundry is piled high, the bathrooms aren't clean, clothes for church aren't ready. Most of the time I look around this house and think,"What a disaster."
Toys and books are scattered. (Note the overturned doll chair behind Michaela, just waiting to break someone's neck?) Clean clothes refuse to put themselves away. Bookshelves are in the wrong place. And what you can't see is that we have no bread or milk.
But there is a home. There are smiling children. And I can go to the store tomorrow. "Disaster" might not be the most appropriate word for me to use around here. "Thankful" might be.
Reader Comments (6)
Nice post! And what a great way to get your family involved. By the way, my kids love that Action Bible Songs DVD
This is a wonderful post! How well you put my feelings into words. I so often take for granted all the luxeries I have, and I too use the word "disaster" when I have no real concept of what it means to live through a disaster.
Perspective is a blessing. One of many we enjoy.
AMAZING perspective. I have a new outlook on the word "disaster" thanks to you.
THANK YOU.
Good thoughts, Christina. We have friends (missionaries) who were in Haiti during the earthquake, so we've been thinking about it all a lot too.
Hey, do you know about the book A Child's Geography, by Ann Voskamp? I think you would really like it. She's extremely missions minded and works hard on teaching her children to care about and be involved in the lives of those all over the world who need help.
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2003/06/words.html
Thanks for linking up!
http://www.mycouponteacher.com/2010/01/help-for-haiti.html