Homeless Children

I was at my Perspectives class tonight, and the speaker was mentioning that 150,000,000 kids are homeless around the world. It's kind of difficult to really take in a figure like that. However, looking at photos of little kids, trying to keep warm under tarps, newspapers and blankets, makes it a bit more real.

I've sorrowed over losing my mom at 4, but I wasn't homeless. I've always had a roof over my head. I'm not much of a camper, and once camping adventures are over, I am really happy to sink into my cozy, warm, dry bed with fluffy pillows and matching quilt. But, many, many little ones are out there tonight, and it isn't pretty. No camping with the latest equipment from REI or Eastern Mountain Sports. Many have no mom or dad.

They also have homelessness within their hearts. They don’t know their maker, and we need to tell them they have a glorious Father. We need to be His loving hands and feet.

Some, quite a few of them, are part of child sex trafficking rings. The speaker went on to explain the horrific loss of the child's childhood and well, really, their sense of personhood, their worth and value. They are required to have multiple sexual.....per day. You fill in the blank. Right here in Seattle. Right here in Bellevue.

So, in honor of these little ones, who are precious and central in God's loving heart,  I draw them. Let us make much of God in these dark places, and let us love these little ones as ourselves.
I begin tonight.

The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them. Mark 10:13-16 (The Message)