A Hearts Cry

It was over 2 months ago when I boarded a plane for Colombia. As the plane headed down the Houston, Texas runway and the wheels lifted off the ground, there was a deep feeling I had just left a huge part of me there that I would never have again.

I have lived a blessed life! Having been adopted from Bogota, Colombia is certainly one of the most amazing gifts I have received. My selfless parents have given me as much as the world as they could. My father worked long and hard hours so our family could be comfortable. My mom only took jobs that would grant her the flexibility to always be there for us when we needed her. They were and are the most important people in my life.

After high school I attended a Christian University in Nashville. I made friends that I will have all my life. I had experiences both trying and glorious that have impacted who I am this moment. I graduated with an education that enabled me to work in health care. I worked for some amazing people and one of the most prominent hospitals in the US. I was given opportunity to be creative, inventive, and original. I was always compensated well above what I needed.

My life was simple but fun! I worked hard but made sure I always had time to play. I loved escaping to Colorado to ski! I competed in a bunch of triathlons throughout Tennessee and all around the country. My triathlon bike cost more than my truck! I love to cook and learning a new recipe is one of my favorite things to do. I spent several months trying to distinguish why a wine from one region in France is so much better than one from another. I went on Caribbean cruises where my goal was to always gain at least 5 lbs. My beloved dog Ellie and I enjoyed eating Blue Bell ice cream after early morning training runs. There was always something amazing about watching every Rocky movie in succession on a lazy Saturday. As I sat along the rocky coast of Maine and watched the tide come in, I would always consider how blessed I was.

Today, over a billion people live (and die) in desperate poverty which is less than a dollar a day. Close to two billion others live on less than two dollars a day. 30,000 children will breathe their last breath due to either starvation or a preventable disease today. We are not inconvenienced by this extreme poverty because those stricken by it are not only poor, they are powerless. Literally millions of them are quietly dying in relative obscurity and we can comfortably ignore them in our affluence, pretending like they don’t even exist. Meanwhile, they do exist, and God measures the integrity of our faith by our concern for the poor.

I walk to my school every day and see families living in houses that barely have walls. I have lunch with kids whom this could be their only complete meal that day. People wash, cook, and bathe with water that is delivered to the end of each street because the idea of plumbing and running water is impossible here. I see homeless in Cartagena whom are so ravished by the weather they are too tired to beg. I have walked through neighborhoods where they plead to more affluent people to take their children because they can’t provide for them.

Please don’t listen to me but what is written in God’s Word. In Luke 6:20-22 we read “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God. Blessed are you for who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” In verses 24-25 Jesus warns “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who will laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.” In Mark 10:21-22 an eager affluent young man approaches Jesus and asks how He may “inherit eternal life.” After he explains to Jesus that he has been keeping the commandments since he was a little boy, Jesus looked at him and “loved him” and said “One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” The story continues “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” In 1 John 3:17-18 it reads “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” Back in Luke 12:32-34 Jesus words are piercing as He commands “Do you not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The Word of God is clear about how much He cherishes the poor, oppressed, and orphaned. The Word of God is clear about how much He despises though who neglect them. I have come to see that I am the “Rich Young Man.” When the Bible speaks of the “Rich” I know that I fall into this category. In America, I was certainly not the most affluent, but in the perspective of this World, believe me when I say that I am exactly who Jesus is warning. Salvation is never a matter of external reformation, but is always a matter of internal transformation. James says in Chapter 2:15-17 says that if we see someone in need, hope for them a better future, and do nothing, that this is an example of a faith that is “dead.” If we have Him in our hearts- everything changes.

While the words of Jesus are tough- they are necessary. The reality is that hundreds of children will die by the time you finish this blog. 30, 000 will breathe their last by the time the sun sets. When I left the US, I left behind a diseased view of materialism. I have repented to God about my disobedience and as a result His spirit is changing me. I know my life will never look the same as it was last year. It can’t be. The words of Jesus have radical implications for our lives. Read Matthew 25:31-46 and ask what side you are on. Plead with Him to change your heart, the perspective, and the priorities. Draw close to Him, believe in His promises, and then listen to His voice. It will never be a matter of guilt, but responsibility. Give Him your heart and see where this takes you. The lives of millions depend on us. Please believe it. Join me in prayer, petition, and action.

Sometimes, God just puts a word on your heart that is tough but demands to be shared. In my flesh, I would rather share how to make Coconut Rice or how I saw the most amazing tarantula the other night (that will come!) But I know this needed to be my next blog entry. I hope you are encouraged and whatever your religious position, you come to see how this experience is shaping my perspective of life as I know it. I love and miss you all so much! Thanks for your support! I feel it! Pictures are courtesy from a few amazing ministries I adore here, Uganda, and India.