Count With Me: 1,2, 3...60

Last Sunday, I learnt a heartbreaking lesson about poverty in my beloved "Perspective" class. That was so powerful, so intriguing, causing long lasting impact.

But the unpleasant reality about poverty began last Saturday, when I was reading the related article "State of World Need" (from World Relief).

Count these:

• "Industrialized countries comprise only 20% of the world's population but consume 80% of the food resources..."
• "In the United States, we spend $30 to $50 billion every year on diets & related expenses to reduce calorie intake...Many North Americans literally eat themselves to death."

I was sick when I read:

• "For nearly two out of every three people today, hunger is not merely an occasional pang felt before lunchtime. It's a lifestyle."
• "Malnutrition is the underlying cause of more than half of the deaths of children under five..."

I almost dropped my tear when I read:

• "Over 30,000 children die every day of hunger and preventable diseases..."

I was pondering the meaning, the faces, tragedies behind these figures. I was sad. Then came the voice of mom talking to 3 little boys: Caleb, Joshua & Issac (my friend's son). It was lunch time. Mom put forth fried noodles to the table, while they responded, "Aga...in!" I jumped up from my study & talked to them. How could I let them know they are so blessed? How could I help them appreciate life? How could I let them know the tragic reality of poverty in the other side of the world?

I told them 30,000 children die every day out of hunger. But the figure means so little to you as well as to the kids until a different perpective is introduced. So I asked them to count with me from 1-60. And they counted with me. I invite you to join us the counting now, ready:

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,

11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,

21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,

31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,

41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,

51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60.

24 children just died. For every 60 seconds. Because of hunger.

The kids were silent. And started eating their lunch. How about you? The world will not be a better place. People lives will not be changed. Broken lives will not be healed and helped, if Christians only remain in just counting our blessings.

God bless us, the true sons of Abraham, for a purpose. We are blessed so that we could be blessings to the world. From now on, use a new formula to count. Do not just count your blessings. Rather count the blessings through you to the lost & broken lives! Now how many had you counted?

May you be blessed abundantly that you can bless the world around with all your might! Remember when you count from 1 to 60, there are 24 kids like your lovely kids were taken away from the arms of their parent because of death, dead of hunger, dead of indifference & apathy. May God forgive our indifference, our selfishness & our apathy.

Pray for me. I will be making an important decision concerning our future church planting. I'll take a personal retreat from Tuesday to Thursday for prayers and reflections.