Abandoned

I've been thinking a lot about abandonment today.  We were driving around Jos, going to a few different pharmacies to get medicine for a medical outreach day with the Vineyard next week.  The pharmacies were a whole new world, as you can walk in off the street and pretty much ask for any kind of medicine and if they have it I'm not sure you need any kind of prescription to get it.  We have a medical student with us and he knew quite a bit about what we needed.  

Anyway, we were sitting in the car at one of these stops and a little boy came up and waved at our windows.  Our driver Alfonsis (not sure on the spelling of his name), eventually rolled the window down, gave this little boy some money and then began to tell us about him.  He said that there were virtually hundreds of these kids all over Jos, and it's the same in every city.  Their parents will bring them here from another village and just leave them to beg.  They will never go to a school, never get an education, have no place to live, and spend their days begging for money so they can buy food.  My heart began to break.  I asked Alfonsis about the police...do they do anything to help...is it illegal for parents to do this to their children...is there anybody who cares???  His answer made my heart hurt even more.  He said that there are no child protection laws, or if there are, nobody cares to follow them.  He said that a woman can have a baby and just toss the child away if she desires, and nobody will do anything.  We talked a little bit about the neglect laws in the States, and although they are far from perfect, at least someone takes an interest in the well-being of the children.  We saw many children today, just walking around the streets from Jos, virtually abandoned.

And then I read this..."For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.  He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. (Deut. 10:17-18)  He defends the cause of the fatherless.  I know there is justice because we serve a God who is just.  I know there is someone looking out for these children because our God looks out for everyone.  I know that this life is not all there is and that there will be a day when the Lord does bring justice and peace to all of these hurting children.  But for today, I am struggling in the reality of the here and now...and it seems like an insurmountable task to provide for all of these children.  So I will pray and I will do whatever I can to help in whatever small way God has called me.  And my hope is that others will do the same, wherever they are.

  (And for those of you at home, I also found out today that Nigeria does not allow international adoption, so if you were afraid I'd come home with one of these children...put your fears to rest.)