I recently watched a video featuring a family from a very poor community in Africa. The mother and father were desperate: their baby was sick, and there was nothing they could do to help their child get well.
They were approached by a drug peddler who told them he could help, and since they were frantic to see their child well again, they bought the drugs he claimed would restore their baby’s health.
The Lord intervened at just the right time, sending a nurse who told them the dose of medicine the drug peddler gave them would kill their baby. What else could they do? They had no other option. The nurse told them about a medical clinic where they could take their son to receive good care and safe medicine. They disposed of the medicine from the drug peddler, took their child to the medical clinic, and he was able to get well and live.
It does not matter what part of the world we live in, or how much money we make or don’t make. We all want the same thing for our children and would do anything within our power to provide it. We want our children to be healthy and happy.
As a mother of three, my husband and I have never felt forced to buy an unknown drug, from an unreliable drug source, in desperate hope that it would bring healing to our sick child. And to be honest, I can’t even begin to imagine how horrible it would be to find myself in such a position.
After I watched that video, I paused to wipe the tears from my eyes, and then thanked the Lord for the bounty of medical resources I have here in the U.S. to care for my children. And then I prayed for those who don’t find themselves as fortunate as me.
We cannot just sit around and do nothing. I understand that it’s hard to know where to start, or to believe that one person can make any difference for the millions of sick children suffering around the world. But what if your child was the one child that someone was able to help? What if someone’s $25 one-time donation provided the medicine your baby needed to get well, if someone’s donation of $50 provided the vitamins your son’s body desperately craved, or if someone’s $100 gift to a medical campaign enabled your daughter to see a doctor for free at a medical clinic where she was properly diagnosed, treated and regained her health? One person can make a difference, because even a modest donation can change the life of the one who received the gift.
Maybe you honestly do not have extra money to give. That’s ok. You can still pray. Pray like I did for those parents who are desperate to care for their child but lack the resources. Pray for God to show His love, mercy and favor on those who have no way of caring for their sick child. Pray that He will provide. And thank the Lord for His good gifts to you: for the abundance of doctors, clinics, hospitals, medications, vitamins and even health insurance!
The next time you sooth your child’s fever with a cold compress, give him a dose of Tylenol to ease the pain of a sore throat, or take your child to the orthopedic surgeon to have a broken bone set, remember the parents around the world who are not as fortunate as you, and pray for them as they care for their children without even the most basic medical care that we have here.
Ready to do something? The Bright Hope gift catalog offers many ways you can financially show support for other parents around the world.
