Friday, February 26, 2010

Whats wrong with this photo ?

I am often asked by those in Central Asia that we are helping " How did you Know this was just what we needed " ... I answer .."It's my job to know..hahaha"... but the truth is that we have many people on the ground that have their finger on the pulse of the community around them.. People like Sergei and Anya, Acel and Talant, Vlady , Larissa, Jengish ,Vera... and so many others... They are the ones that make things happen ... It is such a privilege to work for them as they share their burdens for those around them... What I do is to "Think outside the box"... I whole heartedly believe in the words.."Exceedingly and abundantly more then you could ask or imagine." .. Every thing that we do , I ask myself .. what more can we do that would tip the scales.... One of the ways that we do this is to regularly go through the hundreds if not thousands of photos we have, ... As I look through, I think to myself... what are we missing... Is there more we can do... This picture in particular is one that I love to hate.... So I ask what is wrong with it...... Many would answer ... That old bike is way to big... but the majority of people I show this to have a little chuckle about the bottle of Coke on the bike... Like "What is a big bottle of Coke doing on the back of the bike of a poor kid in the dump ?"... But I beg to differ... I think that the big bottle of Coke belongs in the dump and it is the kid that does not belong... it is the kid that is out of place... we have become so desensitized to pictures like this that it is somehow acceptable to us... and that's why time after time we can go back and still find kids like this living in such awful situations.. And in many ways, I am just as much to blame... I go to the dump.. we bring food, we bring clothes and we help in the little ways that we can... and we come away saying "well at least we did something... that's more then most "... but does that excuse the fact that we went away last fall, and left beautiful children sitting in the dump... Oh sure we sent friends back at Christmas to bring some food and treats and to make sure that they are ok... but the fact is that they are still there.... .. how is this "exceedingly and abundantly more then we can ask or imagine"... then there are the kids like the one's shown here... we had been helping their families a little when we could , but it was not enough... this photo was taken the day that Larisa got the call that their mother had just died from comlications of a simple cold because she could not afford the medication... 500 som...that's $12.50... I would sure pay a lot more then that to bring he back.... Some how, although they are very cute, bringing a hand made teddy bear just does not seem to cut it.
But I must tell you, when you walk into the school, recognise them and give them a big hug when they come running..., to them, "That is exceedingly and abundantly more then THEY could ask or imagine"
In a few weeks, We will be standing in the dump with our little friends... I know right where to find them... because for them nothing ever seems to change... I will bring them food, we will get them some new clothes. I will make sure they have school supplies... maybe do something fun with them one day... then I will go away telling myself " Next time I am going to do more ...I promise... Next time I am going to tell more people ..next time I am going to ask more people ... I promise... Next time I am going to do better ...I promise... so that the next time I come back here , I will truly be able to do more then even WE could ask or imagine... Then will I come home and once again allow myself to get distracted..?

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