Answers and Questions

I promised you some coherent thought on my should I stay or should I go now musings. I don't know if it will be coherent, but here are some thoughts.

I think there is a place for both people who can go and people who can give.

Not everyone CAN go to India. Some people can't physically travel. Some have small children or other obligations keeping them from world travel. Some people really don't have the interest in visiting a third-world country. Some people aren't equipped to work with children or homeless children or disabled children.

And not everyone can GIVE.

Everyone CAN pray.

Yes, $4000 is a lot of money to go.

But to go supports the people who do this work on a daily basis in a way that giving alone can't. It reinvigorates them, re-inspires them, reenergizes them. It reaffirms that what they do is the right thing to do and other people care about their work too.

To go sends a message to the children that they are WORTH IT. They are so valuable, so important, so loved that strangers from across the world would come to meet them and love them and help them to blossom.

To go teaches our children that this is how we shine the light of Christ. It teaches them that they can do this. Ordinary people, people they know do this. It teaches them that there is more, much more to their world than what they experience every day. (and I hope to learn that, too!)

And all the money in the world won't accomplish anything without hands to put it to use.

So, here is my idea for dealing with my conflicted feelings.

I'm confident that God will provide the $4000 for us to travel. I can put together the money for us to go.

What about if we raised ANOTHER $4000 to help Sarah's kids when we get there?

Does that sound unreasonable?

If 10 people gave $200, that would be $2000.

If 100 more people gave $20, that would be $2000.

Do I know 10 people who could give $200? I think so.

Do I know 100 people who could give $20. I'm sure I do.

Are you one of them? Would you pray about it?

Consider this: If you put aside $1 every week between now and January, would you share the $20 you save with Sarah's kids?

If you put aside $10 every week between now and January, would you share the $200 you save with Sarah's kids?

Would you pray about it?

And read Leslie's latest, latest comment for more thoughts on this.