I Saved That One...

An OVC, (Orphan or vulnerable child) is child that has only one parent or no parents, one that is abandoned with no links to family! A child in extreme poverty, that is malnourished, and or with HIV Aides. A child that is 18 years or younger forced to live on the street.
This is an Orphan or vulnerable child defined by the culture I am now living in. They are everywhere! I see them every day and it is not easy! I used to see them from only pictures or on the TV screen or over the internet.
You know what I am talking about, all the children that look dirt poor with bloated tummies and flies in their eyes, rags draped across their bodies as cloths. These images and countless others are used to stimulate our sympathy and compassion. We see the pictures, video footage, etc. and begin to realize that we really don’t have it all that bad. Then it is brought to our attention that for so little money we can change the life of these little ones.
Many people then start supporting a child monthly, never really understanding to the fullest of what they are doing for this one little life.
Yet the number of people that do nothing is off the charts! I agree that it can be over whelming. The problem is way too big and what can one person possibly do? I use to think like this, I would then follow it up with a list of excuses like how can I be sure that my money is really helping or going to this child. This and other excuses like it were used to make me feel better for not doing anything.
I once heard a story that went like this. There was a man that decided to take a walk on the beach when he saw another man running franticly up and down the beach picking things up and throwing them in the water. As he got closer he saw that the things the man was picking up and throwing were star fish. As he observed he saw that star fish were in fact everywhere, hundreds if not thousands of them. He asked the man “what you are doing”? Without even slowing down the man yelled HELP ME! I am trying to save them, if they don’t get back into the water they will all die. The other man was taken back by this answer, how absurd, as he continued to watch the man throw one after another star fish into the water he said “this is crazy, you know you will never save them all” The other man stopped dead in his tracks, starfish in hand, looking into the other mans eyes he threw the starfish back in the water and said “I saved that one!”
Here we have two men one that is overwhelmed at what he see’s and thinks what possible difference can I make? The problem is way too huge. The other man who is determined to make a difference no matter how big or small it might be.
A while back I ran across a song from Beethoven’s last symphony done by a group called young Messiah. As I listened to it I cried and cried, it touched me very much. I want to share the words of the song with you.
Who is this child that I’ve never seen before? Who is this child that I’ve not seen till this day?
Who dares to fall asleep outside my door, if we should wait a while I’m sure she’ll go away.
To be involved with this would surely not be wise. For in the final words she means nothing to me.
I learn the trick is that we just avoid her eyes and the question what she means too….
What is this life? There will be other lives!
Soon to arrive, surely some will survive, she is but one and there are many more. She’s the same as any other.
Who is this child, what does she mean to me?
I close my eyes and still her face I see. She is but one, her kind is everywhere.
Can’t you see there’s no way I should care?
I need a moment now; I have to clear my mind.
Is there a limit law, just to being kind?
There is no way in life that each child can be saved.
Should I be looking with regret at every grave?
There are no guarantees in life, she should be warned. I’m not responsible for this child being born, I’m not responsible in any kind of way. For every child that life can gather.
What is this life? There will be other lives.
Soon to arrive, surly some will survive. She is but one and there are many more. Could this one life really matter?
Who is this child? What does she mean to me? I close my eyes and still her face I see. She is but one, her kind is everywhere.
Can’t you see there’s no way I should care?
Can you see it in the life; can you feel that it’s out there? It’s the harking of a life and it’s hanging in the air, though I try to close my eyes and pretend that I don’t know.
In my heart I just can’t let it go!
There has to be another way for me, a way that leads from this insanity. A way that leads from my destruction, as I say, can you see it in the life, can you feel that it’s out there? It’s the harking of a life and it’s hanging in the air, though I try to close my eyes and pretend that I don’t know.
In my heart I just can’t let it go.

Now here I am, I see these children every day they are no longer just photo’s or images on my computer and TV screen. I live with them, they are my neighbors. It does something to you when you look into their eyes and they wrap their arms around your legs or waist because they are starving for affection. They are filthy, many stink, but oh my goodness are they precious, It is impossible to close my eyes and pretend I don’t know when I am tripping over them.
Can you feel it that it’s out there? It’s a harking of a life and its hanging in the air.
In my heart I can’t let it go! Can you??? It seems crazy and over whelming at times but I want to be able to say,
“I SAVED THAT ONE!!!”