Travel Vaccines make me want to run. Looking back though the door.

 Carry your candle, run to the darkness.
Kathy Troccoli  “Go Light Your World”

Travel Vaccines
I called to schedule our travel vaccines again.  It’s like an act of faith for me.
It’s been over a year since we initially received them.  We want to be ready for our miracle.

Some of our kids get excited about shots because vaccines always mean a gratefulness celebration with ice cream and Oreo’s.

Liam doesn’t get excited at all...not a speck.  (It didn’t help that last time he got shots the nurse came in before preparing the vaccinations and asked him to show her his arm so she’d know how long of a needle use.  It looked like he was going to faint. I went speechless and couldn’t stifle my nervous laugh.. It just busted out and got spit on Liam. (Awful.)

Alyssa is his opposite.  She sings all the way to the shot clinic and tells the nurse “thank you” afterwards.

Liam and Alyssa

Simple vaccines always trigger my heart to glimpse back to places I’ve been and people I’ve loved beyond this comfortable culture we are currently raising our children in.

Amongst a treasury of childhood memories, I especially and deeply ache as I recall a special friend- a sweet boy who lived near our home and warmed my heart like sunshine.  We were each around 11 years old.  I loved being near him because he was always positive, cheerful and selfless.  He melted my heart with his unquenchable smiled while his frail, crippled, little body suffered.   He was beautiful.  I’ll never forget how his broken hearted mom agonized over her only living son because of all he SUFFERED from polio while knowing a vaccine had been available–
yet out of their reach.

It’s not right.

If you are a Medical Research Scientist, Medical Dr, or Nurse, thank you for being a hero.
THANK YOU
for sacrificing years- even decades of your life learning to save lives.

It’s a gift to live in our wealthy culture with healthcare that most in our world
can’t even dream of.

It’s easy to loose sight of those who suffer just beyond our socioeconomic doors.

Because of those I’ve seen and known outside our culture of abundance, I ache knowing that as we take our children to the shot clinic, other children outside of our socioeconomic doors will die unnecessarily from the same diseases my children have received vaccines for…

before we even get back to our car. 

It’s not right.

Before I even finish typing this sentence, others will unnecessarily enter devastating bereavement simply because there was not access to uncontaminated water…..or a medical clinic,….or a hospital… a medical doctor…antibiotics….a mosquito net….shelter or
food.

Precious children, siblings, parents….are dying, grieving, suffering….unnecessarily 
while just out of our sight 

(but sometimes, not out of our reach.)  

 

Daring to peek beyond our barrier is hard because the pain is piercing and numbers of those in need unfathomable.

It feels too big.

But helping even ONE is everything to that ONE.

Discouragement can rob us the gift of delivering an answered prayer.

What if my friend had been given just ONE polio vaccine?  Just ONE?
He could have lived longer.

There are many great organizations that bring vaccinations, medical care, food, water, shelter, and education, to those in need.

Compassion International has a good reputation.  This link describes needs they are addressing:
Compassion International link

World Vision is another one of many.  Here are links to two of their programs:

World Vision Clean Water Program

Compassion International and World Vision both have incredible child sponsorship programs!

Thanking God today for abundant life saving resources.

Praying today for unfathomable multitudes of children and parents who needlessly suffer. 
Praying today for the people who are giving and bringing and going and serving those in need- one precious life at a time.  Praying for more ways to connect our abundance to those in need. 

Is there a One we can bring hope to today?

Keep Changing the World by Mikeschair and Lecrae
Lyrics:

Something here is wrong
there are children without homes
but we just move along
to take care of our own

There’s so much suffering
Just outside our door
A cry so deafening
Oh, we just can’t ignore

To all the people who are fighting for the broken
All the people who keep holding onto love
All the people who are reaching for the lonely
Keep changing the world

Take a look around
Before the sun goes out
What’s lost can still be found
It’s not too late now

It only takes a spark
To make the fire burn
So reach inside your heart
And let this be the start

Link to official YouTube video