In the last hour:

1,625 children were forced to live on the streets

1,667 died of malnutrition or diseases

115 children became prostitutes

257 children were orphaned because of HIV/AIDS*

It's pretty sobering. But also huge motivation, at least for me. What great opportunities we have in this world to be a light!

We are so blessed in so many ways. Why do we usually hoard these blessings?

This makes me think of Vincent, a neighbor kid in Uganda who would sit on our back steps on a regular basis when we got home, and then my host mom would go inside and get him a plate of food and he would snarf it down.

Vincent was such a "lucky" boy. He didn't usually go hungry. He was getting primary education. His parents weren't always able to care for him properly, and his government basically ignored him, but he had neighbors who were a LIGHT in the darkness - they "denied themselves" and lived as they were called to live.

This, in my opinion, is so much more effective and powerful then (even well-intentioned) MDG's from the UN (see previous post).

Vincent, on his way to school in the morning.

*From this video, played at Main Event in KC this year.