I went shopping with Marie and Alexis and we stopped by Annabel's Books in Wasilla. I found several new books and one of them was by Dr. James Dobson, Coming Home, Timeless Wisdom For Families. It was printed in 1998, so the story I am sharing is ten years out of date, but I've never heard it before. "Fresh Graves." Read what James Dobson wrote.
I've recently become aware of an outrageous and tragic situation occurring in Brazil and other Latin American countries. It concerns the plight of unwanted street children who are suffering unthinkable abuse.It's been estimated that in Brazil alone, between 6 and 10 million kids live on the streets with no adult supervision. They have no families and no means of support, so they form lawless packs, begging and stealing for food during the day, then huddling together for warmth at night. Prostitution, crime, and disease are their way of life. Some of them actually live in sewers like rats. Roughly two-thirds of the young girls either commit suicide or are murdered before their eighteenth birthday.
The police look on these children as vermin to be exterminated. Unbelievably, they shoot them to clean up the city. A recent news story revealed that approximately three children per day are hunted down and killed on the streets of Rio De Janeiro. A few years ago when the Earth Summit was held in that city, large numbers of homeless children were rounded up and murdered before the dignitaries arrived. CNN televised row upon row of fresh little graves, where the children were buried.
I wonder sometimes if the world is any more civilized now than it was sixty years ago when the Nazis began gassing their victims. It's time for us to speak out against this brutality and to support humanitarian organizations that can help.
How can we do less?
Please pray for our exploited children in this world today, and may God help us to know how to help them. When reading about all that goes on in this cold world it can be overwhelming. I did a search for Christian organizations that help homeless children and there are many. If you are led to help please do a search, and study how much goes towards the actual child care, then contribute to organizations you trust will help and support our homeless world today.
Here are some links to sites that help the homeless. I have not read how much of their contributions go towards this ministry, but you can! We should be aware of what our money is actually doing when we send contributions. Most charities are helpful when we ask questions.
Homeless Children International
World Vision
Stand Up For Kids
Friday we had snow falling all day! Anchorage has more snow than we do (twelve to twenty inches to our five to six inches). Even if it's pretty, it's not welcome by most when it's supposed to be spring already!
The swans are flying over looking for places to rest; the cranes are landing in the the snowy fields; the chickadees are back looking for more seeds; and the bird houses look closed up for winter today! This late snow might be causing some home-finding troubles for our visiting birds.
Wise words from the wisest man:
"When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory; but when the wicked arise, men hide themselves." Proverbs 28:12
"He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
When the wicked arise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous increase." Proverbs 28:27,28
