Life is Precious

Most of you reading this will never understand just how precious life is. Before I continue please let me explain that I do not say this to upset you, to make you feel guilty, or to accuse you - I am simply stating a fact. We as citizens of the United States are blessed with some of the greatest resources known to this earth: family, education, and religious freedom. We can never truly appreciate life because few of us have ever had to fight for it.

Irene was three years old when her parents abandoned her. Their disappearance left Irene the sole provider for her one year old sister Ruki. The toddler lost all sight of her childhood and before her fourth birthday had become mother of her younger sister, responsible for finding both food and shelter in the desolate village she called home. Rafiki Village was contacted and, by the grace of God, the girls have been brought into a loving home filled with the giggles and hugs of their adopted sisters; they are being taught the love of Christ, and the care of God as their Father. Irene was given her childhood back, wrapped up in safety with a beautiful bow of love on top. I know because I lived with the girls this summer.

Irene in front of Kilimanjaro

It was four or five years ago that I first heard the story of Irene and Ruki fighting for life in among the trash piles and trees, their sullen eyes gazing at me through a video screen. Two months ago, as I left Tanzania, I caught smiles and bright eyes from the sisters both on camera and in my heart. I can tell you stories of playing tag with Ruki while we laughed and laughed, and reading a book about a courageous mouse with Irene that she soaked up like a sponge. The girls are growing, and they are grateful. (Find their story here)

What I am about to ask you to imagine is unpleasant, I know, but it will help you begin to understand the gravity of what I meant at the beginning of this post. Please take a moment and clear your mind from all the happiness you feel over Irene's and Ruki's good fortune, wipe it out. Imagine, just for a moment, what would have happened if Rafiki had not been contacted. The thought is a grim one.

In this country we are surrounded, daily, by everything we could ever need well within our grasp. Even those among us who have a considerably low income or live on a Ramen-noodle-every-night-diet are more wealthy than 80% of people world wide (Global Issue). We have been given a gift simply by being born citizens of the U.S.A. You may not be a flag waver, or poll watcher, and you may think that this country is crumbling down around our ears - there are many days when I would agree with you; however,  it is impossible to deny that, in comparison to girls like Irene and Ruki, we are incredibly blessed.

So what are we doing with this beautiful gift of life? I'm going to leave that question open ended, I don't want to fling any accusations in your face and I have no intention of climbing a soapbox today. Let me leave you, instead, with this tid-bit from an amazing woman I met while working in Tanzania, it brought a light to my own life that I didn't realize I needed:

"I was born in America. That is a fact that I won't apologize for, and I won't feel guilty about it either. I could sit around all day and wonder 'Lord, why did you chose me for the life of comfort and chose these people for a life of suffering?' But in the end it will never make sense. The thing that matters, what makes all the difference, is that God allowed me the life that I had and I had better not waste it sitting around all day. It is a blessing, one meant to be shared."

I encourage those of you reading, the same as I encourage myself every  morning, to look into the every day blessings in our lives and evaluate what it is that we're using them for. Life is precious, and it is more than likely that by not having to fight for our own we could bring life to those in need of it.

In Him,
Bekah S.