Courageous

I just watched the movie Courageous, the newest release from Sherwood Films, the Christian film company based in a church in Georgia. The message was about fatherhood, and was one of the most tear-jerking movies I've seen in a long time. It made me so thankful for my dad, who has loved me and taken leadership of his home in the fear of the Lord. But it also made me think about the kids --the 477 children in the Saffron Land who I will have the privilege of getting to know and love.

The kids have no active father -or mother- in their lives, since their parents are lepers, handicapped beggars, and live hours away in impoverished leper colonies. Most of the parents are Hindu as well, and have no sense whatsoever of modeling to their child from afar the fear of the Lord. What kind of relationship will I develop with these children? These children who are real people who need real god-fearing parents just as much as you and I do? My head tells me very keenly that I will not be able to be a father AND a mother to 400+ Asian children. But I do hope to be a friend. I hope to develop a particular love and bond with at least a handful of them, and be someone they can talk to, whose door they can knock on in the evening and know that I will welcome them in for some hot tea, conversation, and a hug if they need one. Will I be able to develop this with them? I, who am a foreigner and whose life has been so incredibly different? I have two parents, a wonderful family, a life of comfort and wealth in the "land of opportunity". Will I be able to breach any cultural barriers and understand and love these children because they are simply children who need to be loved?

After seeing Courageous and freshly appreciating the extreme value of parenting, I sense deeply my own inadequacy. I know God is not calling me to be a parent to 477 children, but my heart is burdened because I believe that that is what they need. So what shall I do? My response is to pray. To pray that these children will know their heavenly Father who can meet needs and fill hearts in ways that no person can. I pray for the Lord to give me wisdom and strength to develop nurturing friendships with these kids to whatever level He enables me. God give me courage for this vast and, to me, largely unknown task. Let the children know You. Be a father to them in a way no earthly person can.