Just as long as you stand by me.

With Thanksgiving coming up for all my friends in the U.S., there have been a lot of posts on blogs and Face book about the things we are thankful for ... I have to take this time and share some of what I am thankful for. I am thankful for the support of so many of you... some how, the needs and the burdens I have felt for my friends have been lifted by so many of you who have stepped up to right the wrongs.... I think of the song Stand by me ...

When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No, I won't be afraid,
No, I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand , stand by me......

I must tell you that with the ground swell of support , I have become bolder in what I believe we can accomplish..... here is what a friend wrote on her blog when she was sharing about our work in Central Asia.

" I have his blog bookmarked, but I don't read it as regularly as he posts. Some
days I'm just not emotionally ABLE to read the things he writes. Does that make
sense? It's hard to know about needs and ignore them, isn't it? It's hard to
read about children eating and living in dumps. It's hard to read about five
year old homeless children. It's hard to read about the elderly who have no
running water or heat. It's hard to read and see photos of babies in a
"hospital" where there are no mattresses or beds. It's all just hard. That's the
reason I am thankful that there is a John Wright who is not afraid to face these
things head on."

Oh Maria I wish this was all true... the truth is that many times I am afraid. I know that I am not supposed to be, but I am.... I am afraid of what the future has in store for so many of these orphans... I am afraid to expand into the next invalid home ...afraid of whether I will be able to handle what I will find there... I am afraid of what is going to happen to my friends this winter when the cost of electricity is tripling ..I am afraid for my friend Jengish knowing that he is out in the dark alleys on the streets so late at night trying to find those suffering .... I am afraid . I am afraid every time I call Altynai and she doesn't answer the phone.... I am afraid of so much more ... Maria like so many others finds it hard to read the post I write every day, I am afraid of all the things going on that I do not write for sensitivity reasons... I am afraid for the safety of all our friends who daily walk the talk..... Yes Maria at times I am afraid.. but I remind myself where my strength comes from , and press on ... I stand tall and act like I have it all together, but inside I am afraid......

With so much going on right now, it has been such an encouragement to me to know that through it we are not alone... so many of you have been instrumental in giving us the tools we need to keep on, to face down those fears... As I have been recording the outpouring of support from hundreds of you for the Christmas challenge this last few weeks, the words come to mind

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

So many of you have chosen to send your treasure and your hearts to help our friends this Christmas ... Maria... those things we fear now will be jewels in our crowns one day .... Thank you that you still come back and read the next post...Knowing that it may hurt...