Suffering, can we make a difference?

When we talk of our personal sufferings it is most times nothing compared to this famous picture that I have seen many times. The story behind the picture is found here http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/odds_and_oddities/ultimate_in_unfair.htm . Ii is a very sad story, both for the child in the photograph and the photographer behind the photograph.

Can we make a difference to this type of suffering? Can we help when others suffer? What is the point of trying when the problem is so big? Should we as Christians be doing more? If so, Who? What? How? When? Where?

I am not writing my opinions yet? Give me yours first....leave a comment

In the meanwhile take a look at this blog, Kisses from Katy, that I stumbled across today, it is very moving.
http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/


Erica and Emma's comments: 8th February 2010
( They are 7 and 10 years old) They saw the photograph accidentally, I don't think I would have chosen for them to see it, but it has been a good talking point with lots of questions as we went through the story. They were teary. "Did she die? Where was she going? Is she a baby? How far away was the food centre?" (I think she must have been about about Tim's age, maybe 6? Maybe a bit younger.) This little one shows amazing resilience to get as far as she has in her condition?

Most of my girls questions were about the photographer though. They asked the questions the whole world asked, " Why didn't he just pick her up and take her to help? Why didn't he help her? Why? Why didn't he help her?" Emma was insistent on this question, " Why didn't all the people who saw the photograph help? Why was it too late?"

I explained that the photographer had seen hundreds of traumatic sufferings. That he could not possibly have helped all the people he had seen suffering on his own. (He was wrong not to help but we are just as guilty of not helping. At least he was trying to tell the world a story, to get us to help....) Emma asked if she could go to Africa one day to help? "Yes," I said, but I also explained to her that even if she did do that for every one person she helped there would be another hundred and more dying that she could not help on her own. (And that is the reality of Africa....it is a bottomless pit of need! Or is it? If every Christian was doing their part properly, could we fight poverty? Are we wiling to change our luxurious lifestyles to do that? Ouch it hurts to think like that!)

In the end I explained that the photographer took his own life because he felt so guilty for not helping enough. As Christians we are free of guilt when we ask for forgiveness - even though we make mistakes, big mistakes like letting a little one starve. (And we do this every day. We turn our backs on memories of photographs like this) I recon if we can look at a photograph like that and not be moved into some practical action, we have more of a problem than that photographer did! We are guilty. As Christians, never to the point of suicide, for our guilt brings us to repentance and total forgiveness in Christ. But let us be motivated to do something now to help. Let us let this one photograph change the direction of our lives!

Books to read on Suffering

Suffering comes to everyone one way or another. Some have it harder than others. Sometimes our circumstances are blamed unfairly. But at the end of the day God has allowed us to be, like Job, in a difficult situation. Unless we suffer, many of us as humans seem unable to draw really close to God. It is in suffering that we find our total dependence on our Creator.

There are three books I can highly recommend you read on the subject of suffering. A Path of Suffering, by Elizabeth Elliot. Trusting God even when Life Hurts, by Jerry Bridges, and Tragedy to Triumph, A Christian Response to Trials and Suffering by Frank Retief. Elizabeth Elliot as we know lost her husband in the missionary context. Jerry Bridges lost his mother as a boy, Frank Retief was pastoring a church that faced a mass massacre in South Africa near the end of apartheid (my sister was there on the night it happened.) These authors all know what suffering is about as they write and yet they all love and trust our Lord dearly.

These books are well worth the effort of tracking them down and spending money on, they will change your life and encourage you! Koorong for you Ozzies has the first two and Amazon UK and USA has the latter second hand and very cheap, it is out of print.

Zadza/Pap recipes

http://www.chirundu.com/sadza-recipe-south-african-mielie-pap-nshima-zambia-ugali-2009-08/comment-page-1/#comment-173

Actually here is my recipe for porridge for a big family. Pour a boiled kettle of water into your pot/saucepan. Add about a cup of maize meal/mealie meal into a bowl of milk and then add to water and stir so you do not get lumps. You can ad more milk and mealie meal if you find it too thin. Leave it to simmer.

My sweet hubby sent this quote to me today : - ) Number Two

Today Douglas sent me this quote by none other than himself,

"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My shirts will not be pressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire your ironing ability."

At first I just had to giggle and giggle, then I was a bit worried- had he run out of ironed shirts? And yes, we ( Erica who enjoys ironing over all other jobs/chores and I) iron his shirts for him but then he will changes nappies, put kids to bed, wash dishes etc and earns good bucks - so you absolutely cannot call him a MCP, all you feminists out there! Besides last time he ironed, the phone rang and he jokingly pretended to pick up the phone/iron and burnt his face! He is better at doing engineering than ironing anyway! 'Tis called team work!

Sometimes I might add he prefers to wear an un-ironed shirt, so don't blame me if you see him wearing a crumpled shirt- he can be somewhat unconventional. (Of course I am never unconventional , am I?) I finally asked him about the shirts when he arrived home after 10 PM tonight, after taxi-ing kids around...he reassured me he was just enjoying playing with words....should have just checked the wardrobe :), but today has just been one of those super-di-duper busy days! And we were at home for most of the day too. I look forward to putting my feet up this weekend, of course only after ironing:-). Never mind, he will put his feet up too, after he has vacumed the house etc...he's a good man, my man; he is and " 'tiz de truph!" (it's the truth)
As I quoted on the 21st January True love ennobles and dignifies the material labors of life; and homely services rendered for love's sake have in them a poetry that is immortal.

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)

My sweet hubby sent this quote to me today : - )

In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.(Jane Austen)

Having fun together on our Wedding anniversary last year, in the end we couldn't stop laughing and I can't even remember what we were laughing about...20 years together, nearly 21 now and we are still totally committed to each other! MMMM bliss!

Destiny

It isn't the problems which determine our destiny. It's how we respond.

(Elizabeth Elliot from the book, A Path Through Suffering, p 91
Elizabeth Elliot's husband was killed tragically as a missionary pilot)

Coetzee Family: answer to prayer

Many of you followed the needs and prayed for the Coetzee family last year...A homeschooling family of 6 suddenly lost their mother in South Africa. We have much to rejoice about in God's provision! Friends of ours from university days, Wendy and Barry, continued to home school them together with their own children....11 children all together! And a friend of Jessica's, Arrianne, from her play group in South Africa spent some time helping Wendy too. And now after prayers have been uttered for them all over the world a missionary lady, Rentia, has felt called to help them unpaid by tutoring and nurturing the children in their own home, during the day! If you feel led to help this family provide for Rentia financially, leave a post with your email address and I will send you the details.