Woven in the tapestry of my calling and Mission.

Woven in the tapestry of my calling and mission. On Tuesday, 10 April 2012 I wrote:

At 4:00 am this morning I woke up and could not go back to bed. I was disturbed by one question that may sound simple but yet it is very important to my heart. The question is:- With all the great organizations in the world today focused on helping children;- Compassion being the lead and my wonderful mother who gave me a voice, World vision, Save the Children, Feed the Children, etc and now Isaiah 58 that combines all these organizations, why is it that the voice of the child is still not heard? I am not talking about the child registered in the organization but the African child, the Dominican child, the Haitian child, etc. Is it a problem with the developing country governments that the voice of the Child is not heard? But they have ministers in the government to represent the child!
Why is it so hard to hear the voice of the child?  Is it destined that the child’s voice will never be heard? The little I know about the American Child but have to do more research is that; they will be heard if they reported a case which is a treasure they should take with high regard.
I would like to differ with a lot of the world on the Kony 2012 video that went viral. I think that was the voice of the child. The Ugandan child screamed on Internet, television, the celebrities talked about it. But what was the response of the world? “oh! that is a very emotional based video,” I have no details of the organization (invisible children- I really think this fits well, children are invisible to the world especially those in the developing world), I am not saying that people should donate to the organization mentioned but at least can anyone hear -that child having no hope? I was not surprised when the government and people in my country spoke differently about the video because the IMPORTANCE of hearing the child’s voice has never been in ‘our culture’ not even in the smallest unit of a family. “The child has to be quiet.”
What can all these organizations and presidents do to help voice the child? If these organizations came together and spoke for the child, I think the world would hear since they are highly trusted by many people and governments. I am not talking about the video here. I am talking about the child in many countries. I know my president has written a number of books on the child, compassion has done a lot on the child. It is the best on the child that is why I am passionate about compassion and want it to live forever.
Help me find some sleep, after growing up in compassion program, I have realized that a child’s voice can be heard, I have spoken to millions of people literally through the years on different stages and people try to listen at times 250 out of 8000 hear the child’s voice. Why do the rest shut their ears? Why is it so hard to hear the cry of a child? It is not made up, it’s real. I leave my apartment every weekend seeking for an ear ready to listen. I am not satisfied yet. What can the world do and those with the power to get the governments of the developing world to listen to the dying child, the hungry child, the child suffering under a step mother? Can the organizations have one voice for once?
I don’t know if you understood my heart, but what am saying is that I am seeking a hearing. A hearing that is not of my own but of a child with no mother; suffering under the harsh conditions of corrupt politics and poverty. Are my crazy? I don’t think I am. I know that I was given a voice and I want to use it right to speak for those suffering. The thought of them has robbed my sleep tonight. It is the only weekend I have not travelled to speak since March and now I cannot sleep. I thought I was happy to sleep in my apartment this weekend and not travel but am not. What can we do different to help the child both the one registered and not registered. Can we get all organizations together on one table to help change the policy of government? Or is it too complicated again. My mind seeks an answer for ONE QUESTION: WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR THE VOICE OF THE CHILD TO BE HEARD AND WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

Woven in the tapestry calling and mission for my life...

Hey friend:

Sorry for tardy reply- it's crazy, but you actually sent this to my personal email, which I don't check regularly.

Ok, where do I begin.  Well, let me start by suggesting/promising that my response will likely inadequately answer these questions as I don't know that these are questions meant to be answered by man.  I will try my best to provide some context and some things to consider; but these come from a deep place of yearning, from a place that I suspect only the Spirit of God can bring rest to.

 ONE QUESTION: WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR THE VOICE OF THE CHILD TO BE HEARD AND WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY?

I'm going to start with your final question:  Why is it so hard?

Well,
1.  "Pr 31: 8-9"  there are those who simply cannot speak for themselves-that is just a reality of the injustices of poverty, inequality, a broken social/cultural paradigm, abuse, neglect.  So we have this whole basket of humanity whose greatest desire is to be "heard", to have an "audience", and to believe that someone would actually "Act" on their behalf.  Micah gives us this mandate to Act Justly, to Love Mercy, and to walk humbly.  It's an instruction to those who call God, GOD, and whose lives would emulate that of their savior.  With each day that passes, there are fewer of those, meaning fewer people actually looking to the needs of the neediest.  It shifts from an issue of biblical command, to a relative belief and discussion around social or moral correctness.  That is what is most difficult.  Who most has the capacity to act on behalf of the children of the world?  It is those who live in capitalist countries, who have the excess, the influence, and the capacity to actually do something.  These same people are also the one's who are moving further away from God's words and mandates and towards communal belief systems founded on a self-centrism that hardly looks to the need of others.  So, then for those who work in this space, to try and awaken people to the cries of the helpless and unloved, we are left to spend more energy/resources trying to "break through" to them rather than just identifying the need and mobilizing people to action.  Its crazy, so that then births strategies, marketing plans, budgets, techniques; all of which then work to differentiate one organization from another-then all of a sudden you wake up and realize that we are now in a race against one another towards the exact same goal.  So-all of these organizations, etc working towards this…why is there still such a gap….why, with an audience of 5000 people do only 150 respond?  Why are we talking about the 3% while the other 97% walk away?  Is it message-is it not true, is it not compelling, is it not moving……maybe it's the messenger-maybe they didn't say it eloquent enough, maybe they used 3 points rather than 4, maybe it was too long, maybe it was too short.

Here is what I really think and what is likely most helpful for you to consider as you grapple with these questions. Paul was afflicted-we don't what it was, but we know it served a purpose.  You my friend are afflicted with this burden-to accomplish and walk out Proverbs 31: 8-9.

They are not heard, given a voice, because not enough of us have taken up their cause.  We have turned our eyes and ears from them because to listen; it would hurt, it would require something of us, we would have to look at our pretty dresses and our fancy cars and measure those against the hunger which exists in the bellies of millions of children.  It would cost us something, so in turn, we offer impotent prayers of passivity and on occasion, toss a nickel in a bucket as we scoff at the beggar.  Our big churches, large campuses, celebrity cultures within the body of Christ testify to this.  It serves as an indictment against what we profess.

So what, now what.  Lois-you are the voice of the child.  The cold, naked, hungry, unloved, alone, afraid little boy or girl who is terrified when their abusive parent stumbles in at night.  We must be gripped by this thing.  For me, it has gripped me.  It gripped me when I was 14, on the streets of Managua, Nicaragua speaking with homeless children who sniffed glue in order to numb their hunger pains.  I saw it again in a little boy named David in Gaborone, Botswana the next year and so on.

I don't know all that is within your heart-I doubt no one but the Lord knows fully all that He has in store for you as this is concerned.  I don't know that Mother Theresa understood all that was within her heart and capacity.  She knew one thing-Jesus walked among the poor…and so, as did she.  She understood that rather than become overwhelmed with determining whether or not she could feed a hundred people, she fed the one right in front of her.  That is our task and mandate.  Speak up, be a voice, and allow God to do the work. To answer your questions, I would say that the answers lie somewhere in a private, alone place, where you before the Lord; learn His heart.  Ez 22:30  "I looked for someone who would stand in the gap on behalf of my people so that I would not have to destroy them, but I found no one"  This has always held me-when he surveys the land looking for one who is righteous, and he passes over Richardson, TX, does he find one.  You see, each of us have to work this out within the context of what He is calling us to.  The questions are for you-  I could give you a ton more commentary on capitalism, monetization of resources, government policy, church and religious politics, sociology perspectives on why audiences say yes or no; but really, I think the answer and the question have the same origin, are woven together into a tapestry of calling and mission.

Hope that is helpful-praying for you my friend.  Remember-it is for Him and with Joy that we might be considered Son's and Daughter's, joined together in the this great quest to free those who have been held captive by the counterfeit; leading them towards rescue and restoration.  It is a great endeavor.

On Tuesday, 10 April 2012
I wrote:
At 4:00 am this morning I woke up and could not go back to bed. I was disturbed by one question that may sound simple but yet it is very important to my heart. The question is:- With all the great organizations in the world today focused on helping children;- Compassion being the lead and my wonderful mother who gave me a voice, World vision, Save the Children, Feed the Children, etc and now Isaiah 58 that combines all these organizations, why is it that the voice of the child is still not heard? I am not talking about the child registered in the organization but the African child, the Dominican child, the Haitian child, etc. Is it a problem with the developing country governments that the voice of the Child is not heard? But they have ministers in the government to represent the child!
Why is it so hard to hear the voice of the child?  Is it destined that the child’s voice will never be heard? The little I know about the American Child but have to do more research is that; they will be heard if they reported a case which is a treasure they should take with high regard.
I would like to differ with a lot of the world on the Kony 2012 video that went viral. I think that was the voice of the child. The Ugandan child screamed on Internet, television, the celebrities talked about it. But what was the response of the world? “oh! that is a very emotional based video,” I have no details of the organization (invisible children- I really think this fits well, children are invisible to the world especially those in the developing world), I am not saying that people should donate to the organization mentioned but at least can anyone hear -that child having no hope? I was not surprised when the government and people in my country spoke differently about the video because the IMPORTANCE of hearing the child’s voice has never been in ‘our culture’ not even in the smallest unit of a family. “The child has to be quiet.”
What can all these organizations and presidents do to help voice the child? If these organizations came together and spoke for the child, I think the world would hear since they are highly trusted by many people and governments. I am not talking about the video here. I am talking about the child in many countries. I know my president has written a number of books on the child, compassion has done a lot on the child. It is the best on the child that is why I am passionate about compassion and want it to live forever.
Help me find some sleep, after growing up in compassion program, I have realized that a child’s voice can be heard, I have spoken to millions of people literally through the years on different stages and people try to listen at times 250 out of 8000 hear the child’s voice. Why do the rest shut their ears? Why is it so hard to hear the cry of a child? It is not made up, it’s real. I leave my apartment every weekend seeking for an ear ready to listen. I am not satisfied yet. What can the world do and those with the power to get the governments of the developing world to listen to the dying child, the hungry child, the child suffering under a step mother? Can the organizations have one voice for once?
I don’t know if you understood my heart, but what am saying is that I am seeking a hearing. A hearing that is not of my own but of a child with no mother; suffering under the harsh conditions of corrupt politics and poverty. Are my crazy? I don’t think I am. I know that I was given a voice and I want to use it right to speak for those suffering. The thought of them has robbed my sleep tonight. It is the only weekend I have not travelled to speak since March and now I cannot sleep. I thought I was happy to sleep in my apartment this weekend and not travel but am not. What can we do different to help the child both the one registered and not registered. Can we get all organizations together on one table to help change the policy of government? Or is it too complicated again. My mind seeks an answer for ONE QUESTION: WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR THE VOICE OF THE CHILD TO BE HEARD AND WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY?