The world is going to hell.
I don’t mean that judgmentally or angrily. In truth, it makes me so sad. Today I am grieving the hellish world we live in. And I’m grieving the reality of how much I don’t want to learn any of it.
When did I become so content with my head in the sand? When did I decide that ignorance really is bliss? It’s not. And I am ashamed at how long I’ve ignored some of the tragedies of the world simply because they don’t invade my little piece of it.
Maybe I’ve ignored or hidden from some of this because it’s so paralyzing to consider how I could help. Maybe not knowing what to do with all the information is just discouraging so I don’t seek to know what’s really going on. Maybe it just hurts too much to know the truth of the horror that others suffer.
The world has already become hell for so many and it is breaking my heart.
- 50 million people in our world are dying from HIV/AIDS.
- Everyday nearly 16,000 children die from hunger.
- 10 million children are forced to be sex slaves.
- 3 million people will die this year from malaria.
- 38% of the world’s population is malnourished.
- 6,500 Africans die from preventable, treatable diseases.
- One country alone has seen 30,000 women disappear, stolen into human trafficking, and no one has done anything. *
Had enough yet? I have. I feel broken for all the brokenness. I am hurting and aching for those whose lives are marred by these atrocities God never intended. So much human suffering.
As I consider some of these facts of tragedy today one thought came to my mind: Do I know any orphans?! Do I even know any widows?!
The reason I thought of this is because most of these atrocities involve orphans and widows. And because of what James says:
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
I need to do something. But what? I need to help these people or my wealth and privilege is just disgusting. But how do I help?
In Exodus 3 God is confronting Moses with the suffering of the people and God makes this amazing statement about how he is hearing the cries of his people and he is concerned with their suffering.
The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. Exodus 3:7
Maybe this is where it starts. A willingness to hear the cries of the suffering. A willingness to get to know some orphans, to find some widows in need. Maybe it starts with a commitment not to put my head back in the sand.
I’m just in the learning stage, trying to get my mind around how the world is abusing it’s orphans and widows. Its not like I haven’t known, like I thought the world was just a happy place. But when you really start opening yourself up to the way humans destroy humans it is hard not to just shut down, to turn your head. Not because I don’t care, but because I do care. It is a painful aching kind of learning. But like my Father I want to hear the cries. I want to be concerned with the suffering enough to do something.
If you wish to learn with me here are some good places to start:
The sex café – an article about the sex slave trade in Moldova
Children’s Hope Chest – I’m new to this organization and still learning, but they seem to be going whole-heartedly after the orphans and widows to give them life.
5 for 50 – Loving the 50 million dying of HIV/AIDS
Stop the Traffik – A great organization fighting human trafficking
Be forewarned, looking into this further will break your heart. It is so painful and horrific. But it is time we stop burying our heads and be the people of Jesus. It’s time to stop the hell on earth.
*these statistics come from Children’s Hope Chest
soul grit 
I should clarify the last fact in my list of facts about the world’s suffering. When I say that one country has seen 30,000 women disappear and no one has done anything I mean no one in the government has done anything. There are amazing people working for the rescue and safety of these women and future women victims, but the government so far seems to be doing nothing.
The counrty I’m speaking of, by the way, is Moldova. It seems to be a main cog for human trafficking in Europe. Pray for Moldova.
Just FYI, in the U.S. where I live, the state of Ohio is primary in the world of human trafficking. It’s position between east and west and the roadways that go through it make it’s truckstops and other high traffic areas critical for this sick abuse of people. Yes U.S. people, it happens here too. This isn’t just something for third world countries or other places. It’s happening here. in our backyards.
Well…the big fat question: why doesn’t god wave his magic wand? Wake up and smell the coffee.
Well, i do love coffee, so I probably will.
As to the “magic wand” comment, I suppose we could wish for that, pray for that and be angry if we don’t get it. But that would be only if we wanted a God who was willing to take away our freedom to choose. The world is a mess because people have the freedom to choose. We can choose God or not choose him. We can choose evil acts or good ones. The real tragedy (to me) is that we all choose both. And often.
The good news to this hell on earth situation we find ourselves in is that we also have the freedom to greive the atrocities and do something about them.
To be honest, I don’t want a God who waves a magic wand and just decides how it’s going to be. I appreciate the love that gives freedom. But it is a good question.
With online comments it’s not always easy to know how a comment was intended so I don’t know if you actually meant it genuinely or not. Either way, it’s tempting to want that, but I don’t think we would liek the far-reaching results of a God who didn’t let us choose. It would definitely change things.