All a child knows

No child asks to be born in poverty. Or pandemic. A war zone.

No child chooses their skin color.

No one requests a disability.

No one applies for blindness.

No one signs up to be hearing-impaired. I sure didn’t.

Who says, “Give me brain damage”? No one.

Who hopes for the stigma of being “different,” or “less,” than the others?

Who chooses disease? Injury? Pain?

All a child knows is, It hurts. Or I’m hungry.

I’m cold. I’m scared.

Poverty happens. Disability happens.

No question: Trouble comes.

The only question is: How will I respond to someone else’s trouble?

For those to whom trouble has come, friends of New Thing offer a “Response of the Heart.”

Our team goes where others don’t, or won’t, or can’t.

To offer whatever help we can. However, whenever.

To say, in practical ways, You are not your trouble.

You are not your poverty. You are not your disability.

You are valuable. You are loved.

You are not alone.

Thanks for journeying with New Thing.

More adventures to come!

Much love,

Doug Brendel

(Photos by Oleg Yarovenko. Gift boxes provided by Samaritan’s Purse.)