Thursday, June 18, 2015

The Difference We Can Make

Nadine was given an assignment to write how our travel can make an impact or improve on global issues from her own experience.
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Barbarita and Benita, two young Ugandan girls, attending school and church, struggling with their parents and taking care of themselves and each other. Each Sunday, their names listed down in the attendance book until recently. Family problems have caused them to stop going for months now, though they long for encouragement and reassurement in Christ.

This simple struggle story of these two sisters proves to me how small this problem may seem in a world of over 7 billion people, but how great an impact it has on a greater scale. Traveling to Uganda made me realize just how many millions of different problems there are in this world and that not everyone is as lucky as me to have a loving blood and extended family and to not be going through any serious situations. Even though I am lucky, I begin to wonder if I can really make a difference. I wonder if I can help Barbarita and Benita, and all the other children going through the same problem. Surprisingly, the answer is a simple yes. Because you and I are so fortunate as we are, we are the people that can make a difference. I have quite a number of friends who've seen what I've seen. They've traveled, seeing other people's pain and struggle from a whole different view.  Even the simplest of stories about two sisters continue to inspire them to help and make a change. They are now leaders in society, mayors in cities, and even just pastors in churches, working to help the helpless and encourage them with the word of God. Literally just going to share the word with a friend is helping to make a huge difference, even if it is one baby step at a time.

You can make a difference too. Think about it.  how many people do you know that are going through some very serious struggles? How many of them know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour? Right there is one small way to make a difference; share the gospel. In difficult times, knowing that God is on your side and is always with you is very encouraging, especially when you think you're on your own. Philippians 4:1 says to stand firm in the Lord always. Paul was saying this to the Philippian people who were struggling, especially in the church.  We need to give everyone that same message just like Paul; that they aren't alone, and even when it seems like it, they must trust in God.

So Barbarita and Benita's problem may not seem so big to you, but it is a situation that we can impact. Traveling can help you see people, places and things in a different light and make you care for even the smallest of details. Choose today what you will do, because YOU can make the change.

~ Nadine

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