Dear World,

A letter from me.

Dear World, 


There is so much wrong with you. I wish I could fix it all. Unfortunately, I can't. I will begin with healing myself, and pray that others do too. I will stand up for injustice. And ask forgiveness when I make mistakes. Which I will most certainly make. World, this is my promise to you. 


Tina. 


I'm sure most of you by now have seen or heard of the video that has gone viral named Kony 2012. Well if you haven't watched it yet. Please do [here]. Invisible Children is a movement/non-profit organization that is almost a decade old. Raising awareness about child soldiers in Africa. And although I am happy to see the great awareness this is raising, I hope that it does not go out as quick as it came in. This has been going on for years. This and other painful and awful acts. Things in North America we enjoy clothing, jewellery, and we can't live without may be continuing and contributing to these issues.

So take a minute, take a look around you. At what you do daily. Is that diamond ring more important than the war it fuelled in Africa. Are those new jeans more important than the child that was enslaved to make them. I don't believe we can be perfect in this but its taking steps individually, saying I will live my life as an example that can begin to make a change.

"You hypocrite, first take the plank our of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person's eye" - Matthew 7:5 (TNIV)

"Similarly, encourage the young men and women to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us" - Titus 2: 6- 8 (NIV)

There are so many things we can do as individuals to begin to make a change. Research. Research. Research People.* It doesn't mean you have to go and boycott everything. Its okay to take baby steps and see what small areas you can make a change in your own life. This is not my first blog like this. And it won't be my last. I am constantly learning, growing and reminding myself of the need for change.

Gabriella will be 4 years old this month. My prayers are still with her and her mom who I met in the maternity ward of  a hospital in Guatemala.

- T.

*Don't just watch a video and make a decision. Do your research. Read what others have to say. And make an opinion of your own. Not of another. Here's another perspective [link].