Waiting on the World to Change

This morning I cried over a bowl of cereal. Not really over the bowl of cereal, but as I was eating breakfast I saw something on TV that pained my heart. ABC is going to be broadcasting tonight a piece on 20/20 that Diane Sawyer has been working on for the last year, called Waiting on the World to Change. In this piece she follows three children who are growing up in the poorest and most violent city in America: Camden, NJ. I was moved by the one child they showed this morning–4 year old Ivan who has lived on and off the street with his mom and his little brother. His dream was to live in a home with his family and to go to school to learn to read. They showed that their Pastor had rented them a room to live in for only $50 a week. The room was dimly lit by one lightbulb, and it seemed cramped and dirty by most American standards. The boy’s response, however, blew me away. He said, “I’m so proud, and I thank the Lord for giving us this home to live in.” This, from a 4-year old? How ungrateful am I?

The next scene shows little Ivan on the first day of school. He’s walking to school with his mom, and he’s scared. She tells him that it’s ok to be afraid, and that she won’t leave him in a place he is not welcome. They showed little Ivan working on numbers with a school administrator. He knew the number three, but was stumped when the man asked him how many meals we eat in the day. His family usually only ate once, at best. That broke my heart. I can’t handle seeing children in poverty without doing something about it, can you? How can we sit by and let something like this happen, not only in N.J. but in places closer to us?

Maybe that’s why there are TV programs like this, because there are people in the media who care about others, and hope to make a difference in what they do. I want so much to have a career like that, and maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to teaching. So this is my challenge to you: Do what you love in life, and make a difference to someone in need. Could there be any greater joy in life?

In Search of Something

At the behest of a dear friend, I have decided to make another blog entry. I have taken a holiday hiatus, but I am now back. I hope that everyone had a very happy Christmas, and great new year. I can't believe it's 2007 already!

Is it just me, or does it seem like people are always looking or searching for something? Poor Charles has lost a valuable set of keys for nearly a week. After tearing apart the entire house, and two vehicles, we are at our wits ends to know where they might be. We have prayed lots about this, but still they haven't turned up yet. Our only hope is that they may've fallen out in my grandmothers car when we rode with them last Friday. It must happen quite often (the key losing) because I saw a friend in the post office this week who had also lost her keys. Unfortunately, she knew that she had lost them in the post office and was still unable to locate them. I don't know why these things happen, but regardless, they do.

I choose to say that people are looking for stuff, because it sounds more upbeat and positive. It sounds pessimistic to say "I lost something", because it seems like lost things aren't found as often as things that are being looked for. Just an observation.

People are looking for lots of other things as well, from the simple to the complex: The perfect dress for an important event, new shoes that have to be just right, the perfect pet, a great college or grad program to attend, a new house, a great job, or the man/woman of their dreams. Right now I am officially looking (once again) for a teaching position. I sent my resume and letter of interest to an Adventist school in an undisclosed location this week. The posting said they were accepting resumes until January 27. When I sent mine on the 9th, I got a reply back that they were interviewing someone that evening that they would most likely hire. I really wish that if they already had people in mind for this that they wouldn't even bother posting the position. Or, better yet, don't say that they're accepting applications when they really aren't. It's really hard looking for positions after all this time of not finding any. I find myself being sucked in to really negative feelings and self-talk, which casabotagely sabatoge me if I'm not careful. Please pray for me as I go through this process, and also please pray that Charles can get his greencard soon so that we can enjoy this process together. :)