Haunted by Lifeless Eyes

Peter Shurley is an Australian singer, songwriter and violinist. He presented a great concert at our church recently and sang a song called: Indian Girl. This came about through a visit to India on behalf of Compassion International, a Child Sponsorship Christian ministry. This young girl had just started school and was sitting in the front row when Peter began singing to the class. Her big eyes and apparent need stole his heart. He sponsored her. That was many years ago. Peter showed a photo of her at her University graduation. Wonderful

That song brought back vivid pictures to my mind of a visit to an African slum. We were on a short term mission trip and went to this slum area. There, sitting in a narrow lane, was this small child of indeterminate age. I know not her name. She said not a word. Beneath unwashed grime and dishevelled hair was a stained prettiness. It was however the eyes that captured me. They were lifeless. No sparkle, no tears or interest in who the strangers were, simply blankness. They shattered my heart and mind with sorrow and began to haunt me. These years since, they still haunt me.

Did she ever find someone to sponsor her and give her hope and dignity? Did this un-named slum girl simply waste away to be received by Christ Jesus in His Heavenly home?

The Christian Church has been rocked by revelations of child abuse by certain perverted persons in responsible positions. The bible is very clear about their condemnation and punishment by the Judge of the universe. The Scriptures are filled with warnings about violating the vulnerable and the young. It has an eternal sentence written in God’s statutes.

Fortunately there is another aspect to the Christian Church’s involvement with Children. It reveals the faithful care, protection, support and equipping of young lives through to adulthood. The difference is seen in many and varied ways. Perhaps most vividly for me is the contrast between the Indian girl who was sponsored and the African girl. I’ve also seen the difference it makes through the support given to such children in distant countries by my adult children (and others). One of the privileges in showing the heart of Christ within us to
children or adults is to see or hear they also put their trust in Him.

The eyes of the slum girl haunted me and still do. They also motivated me and others to reach out to care and share what we could to those similar to her. The following poem was stirred in me by the combination of Peter Shurley’s song and those eyes which haunt me still

I Cried Then and I Cry Still
We met in a Kenyan slum
In a lane with little sun
How old
I couldn’t tell.
My language she knew not
Hers, was unuttered
Yet I was shattered
By this African girl
Without a hope of happiness.
My heart ached for her sadness
I cried then
And
I cry still

Oh to have hugged her there
Told her someone cared
But all I felt
In my helplessness
A strange numbness
Yet prayed,
“Lord embrace her today.”
I cried then
And
I cry still.

Time have passed by since then
And still I remember when
We met in the Kenyan slum
In shadows cast by the sun.
But her face still appears
Unchanged by the years
Silent, sad and unmoving.
I cried then
And I cry still.

Lord
For children such as her
Deliver from despair
Through servants who share
Your tears of compassion
Your heart for redemption.
Then will we know
Tears cried then
Were
Not in vain.

Ray Hawkins July 5 2014

LIFE CHOICES

Why the Bible is important to me  #7.

Choices 

In an African town Mary and I went to their supermarket. There were on the shelves the basics with few choices. Returning home and going to our local shop we were overwhelmed by the choices offered. It struck me not so much about our affluence but how limited are life’s choices to the world’s major populations.

I’m not thinking about supermarket selections. Rather it was on the opportunities to choose spiritual, moral and educational options. We in the Secular and Christian influenced Western world have the privilege of making rational decisions in the light of debate, discussion, reading and reflection. Not so in Islam. Its people are bound to do as they are told. To choose to believe in Jesus (or anyone or anything else) is a death sentence. Any system of belief that makes slaves of the mind and denies a person a choice is little moral than a penal code. Hinduism with its caste system steals a person’s right to choose. It is the creator of human ‘tools’ rather than human beings.

Regardless of living in the secular west, or under atheistic communism, Islamic repression or Hindu determinism The Almighty God can step in with Truth to consider. Such Truth offers the right to choose between eternal life with the Lord or eternal separation from God. It does not overturn the caste system but provides personal dignity which empowers a life within it. Accepting the Truth does not safeguard you against the ‘guards’ of the sharia penal system. It does liberate your heart and mind and brings peace with God and the assurance of forgiveness.

Where is such Truth found? It is in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s the message of the Son of God coming to our realm to identify with us. The Gospel gives the eternal God flesh and community and proclaims such a mystery of grace and love. He created you to know Him, enjoy Him, be with Him. When untruth led people and nations astray the Lord God acted to reclaim them. How far did He go to express His grace and love? To the Cross on Calvary’s hill! How do we know this actually happened? It was proclaimed over five hundred years before the deed in Isaiah 53. On Passover day in A.D. 33 it happened. Three days later Jesus rose from the tomb as victor over sin, death and holy wrath.

Christ Jesus’ instruction to His followers was to make the news known and offer the hearers a choice. The decision a person makes has eternity in the consequences. It is a choice between a relationship with God or separation from Him. Jesus called it a decision between walking the broadway of unbelief and rejection, or choosing the narrow way, through the cross, which leads to life now and eternal.

In some countries and cultures they might rightly say how can we know the Truth which sets us free. The first requirement is to have a heart to seek the Lord God whose word is Truth. He made a promise that any who honestly seeks Him will find Him. If you can talk with a Christian and obtain a Bible you can be helped to know Jesus, who is the Way the Truth and the Life. Otherwise I believe the Lord Jesus will make Himself known to you in His own way and time.

That is another reason why I believe the Bible is so important. It has the message of Truth which leads to God and eternal acceptance. Why not call out to Him right now!

(Ray (who knows the Way, the Truth and the Life) Hawkins.

Next week – Why should we respect the aged?

African memories.

Africa In Our Hearts

We left something in Africa – part of our hearts. We brought back lots from that country, including precious memories. Mary and I had the privilege of going three times to this continent on short term mission study tours. We were led by Roger Ellem and experienced village life, various slums and gracious hospitality and inspirational church involvement.

 

Mary and I with Pastor Abel and Family - Zambia



Some mementos sit on our shelves, photos adorn walls and albums. Whenever Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Ghana make the news we become transfixed to radio or Television. I only have one real regret, we were not in the position to have done this sooner when younger so we could have gone more often.

Keeping a daily journal keeps the memory fresh when reread. That kept nagging me to make a more disciplined account of some of our discoveries of our Lord’s faithfulness and His church’s experiences in our lives. This became the basis of my first serious attempt at writing. It took the form of a 31 day devotional. Since then I’ve had four other devotional books on different themes published by Even Before Publishing 

The Neurotic Rooster was the African publication. It has been used by others who have considered and then gone on short term mission trips. The title came from a rooster who used the roof of where we stayed for his perch. I think he was worried about snakes or cats or...? Anyway his nocturnal habits kept us awake and nearly made us neurotic. The account is briefly outlined in the devotional.

I would like to offer a couple of these books to interested folk in a giveaway draw opportunity. If you would like one simply make a comment to go into the draw. This would be limited to Australia and New Zealand. However if someone from outside that zone commented who knows what might happen!

This will be open until November 30.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Ray (African daydreamer) Hawkins,