This is a story about three little kids who dreamed big dreams and hoped with all their heart to attain it. Each of them wakes up with a smile on their face knowing that the new day is another step nearer their goal.
One dreams of becoming a Doctor.
The other, a Lawyer.
The last kid wants to be the President.
And we smile. We smile because we want them to achieve those dreams. We smile because we see the hope in their eyes. We smile because we know that they can achieve their goals.
Isn't this such a wonderful story? I just feel so happy for them and I am looking forward to what their future holds. Wait. Let me add another touching element to this story.
They all live in Uganda.
Now my eyes are starting to swell up. They have hope, even if they live in a very tough land. They still dream no matter what condition they were born in. And they work hard for it. Real hard. I know how you feel, you are so touched and proud of them right? You just want to cheer them on and hope that nothing or nobody will ever take that dream away from them. Everything is going fine until a stranger pokes you in the back and whispers, "Not all endings are happy". Way to go weird and ominous stranger for ruining the moment! So you tell on the stranger and say, "Not with my God! With Him all endings are happy ones! You just wait and see." And so we continue with the story of the three wonderful little kids.
One seemingly perfect and peaceful night children from different families were abducted and our three friends were part of those taken. They were dragged and tortured once they try to escape and they were forced into becoming soldiers. Child soldiers. For their first task they were each asked to murder the person their abductors tell them to, they were threatened to death if they choose to disobey. These children, being so young and not knowing what to do, scared of dying they hold their first gun and...
With their first kill they are now considered good soldiers and because they are good soldiers their abductors must make sure that they would stay. Without the children knowing, they murder their family and tells the kids that something bad happened to their family. This way, the kids have no place to call home and nobody to run to. Now all that they are left to do is to cry. Cry their heart out. Cry out all their pains. Cry in secret. In secret because if they were caught crying, if the kids were caught thinking of home, they would be beaten up badly.
In one night their lives changed instantly and took a u-turn. In an instant, their dreams were shattered. And hope? They don't even understand the word anymore. They lost all their hope. You can just hear the stranger laughing behind you and saying his I-told-you-so speech. The sad part is, these kids start to doubt God and stopped calling on His name. It's hard to say that there is hope, because for them the future is just so dark and empty. But we know better, there is hope! THERE IS HOPE! Our hearts break seeing how hopeless these kids are and how some of them do not even hear about the fact that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We all yearn for a happy ending for all of them.
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) alone in Uganda abducted 10,000 children and used them as soldiers and even sex slaves. There are around 250,000 child soldiers for rebel groups and government forces in various countries. The number increases as the number of armed forces increase as well. 250,000 kids. These kids need to know that there is hope that with God all endings are happy. I urge you to reach out, to help and to pray. Give your best in doing so, whatever it is, they need it, they need you, they need God. Whatever is in your power to do, do it.
Now I do not want to leave you thinking about the story and how those three kids were left hopeless. No, I also want each of you to have faith and to really really know in your heart that there is hope.
There are people like you and me who went and rescued these kids from harms way. They rescued them, sheltered and fed them, took care of them, and made sure that everything is going to be okay. While doing so they all shared God's word and his hope. The children were not only rehabilitated but they also found peace, joy, and hope once again. Now that is a wonderful ending slash beginning. It really warms my heart knowing that with God all things are beautiful.
Now I wonder where the stranger went, guess he couldn't face defeat.
* Watched this story in the Daystar channel and cried buckets of tears.
The picture was taken from http://joshuadysart.com
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