America's Children?

I often consider what is the best use of the modest charity funds we distribute every year. Childhood illnesses? Homelessness? It is usually a local charity, helping those most vulnerable. But lately I've been thinking a lot about hunger. And perhaps there are those in our society, especially soon, who are starving and need help. But I also think of the United States as having many safety nets. Our churches (I grew up in one), our government (my family got foodstamps for awhile), WIC, and our land (food grows well and fast here).

Don't cry when you read this but tonight when I was rocking my 15-month old baby to sleep in my arms I was thinking about the very real but not actually threatening fears he experiences upon every separation from his caregivers. I was thinking about how he's probably reassured by his room and his (getting older) mom's image. This image I had of myself as an older and tired mother quickly brought up one I get every once in awhile, that of a mother that would have lived in a holocaust camp. It is much easier to type this than to actually speak it...but I think of how unbelievably unbearable it must have been for mothers to comfort their children then.

And this leads me to this: Are there mothers like those Holocaust mothers now in The World? Are there infants who are not safe? Are there families who are threatened every day? Who are not comforted by their rooms, their mothers, or their food? And this is where I want to help, in addition to America's children...for I am so thankful for the freedoms for our own children.

Peace.

Later thoughts: Looking at the BBC News I see images of children injured in Pakistan (our weapons?) War torn Palestine, Africa, etc.