Waiting for the World to Change

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2819991&page=1
Today Frank and I watched 20/20, which we had on our TiVo from last night. I knew this episode was coming, my friend Wendy had let me know. I forgot about it until I saw it today. If you happen to have access to see the show, please watch it. I have linked up the website from 20/20, I don't know if they put the entire show on there or not. The episode is called, "Waiting for the World to Change." It is a show, an entire hour, about growing up in poverty-stricken Camden, NJ. Camden is just minutes from us, just across the bridge, we've actually been there many times. Camden is a smaller town than Philly, but it mirrors our neighborhood in MANY ways. As I sat and watched this show, I realized that it could have been about growing up in Kensington. They did a really good job, we think, of accurately portraying life in poverty-stricken America. I actually sat and cried as I watched the profile of a boy around Paxton's age. As I watched, and the tears fell, I realize how immune to it all I have become by living amongst it. As I watched the drug raids they showed, I made Frank pause it and asked him if that actually goes on around near us (I have never personally seen that and it seemed really bad to me). He told me that's what happened at the Miracle House, back in May, and that, yes-it does happen quite often, I just haven't seen it, yet. As I watched I thought about several children I know well, who I could imagine living lives similar to those profiled. Frank actually mentioned a teen to me and told me she lived in houses worse than ones shown, I had NO idea, as she always has herself looking clean and nice. I had just never been in one of her houses (yes, there have been many). There are a few homes that I have been in, some decent, some horrible. There are MANY that I can only imagine. This show was very touching and made me realize once again, why I live here. It reminded me of the choice we made, of God's role for our lives. It also reminded me that we do live in a very dangerous area, as I said, I seem to forget that a lot and think it's not that bad. I am thankful to be here, thankful to be making a small difference, thankful that God has chosen me to be a small part of a bigger plan. I am thankful for the children I have personal contact with and can only pray that they too can rise above and "make it."
Please pray for our children, for the children in Camden and for the children living in these conditions all across America. Jesus Christ can bring hope, Christ can break the cycle. That's my prayer, hope for a better tomorrow.