A couple of weeks ago James and I headed to the capital to meet a family of 5 children, three of which were candidates to come live at CMP. 

We were excited to be a part of rescuing kids.  Of seeing their lives transformed.  Of potentially being the instruments that God uses to bring them out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light.  We were humbled, but joyful to be starting this new stage of ministry. 

The family is extremely poor.  The 5 kids (ages 12, 11, 10, 9,  & 8) and dad are living in a single-room shack the size of our living room. The mother had abandoned the children when the youngest was just a baby.  The dad had raised the 5 kids but was recently in an accident that left him unable to work or really even move much.  He has hope of a recovery within a year, but it is a long, hard road.  The children are all in school, though the oldest 2 (12 and 11) are extremely behind.

When we met the family, what struck us first was  not their poverty.  It was their warm smiles and the way they seemed to love being together as siblings.  There was obviously a warmth and love among the family.  The kids played together.  They smiled.  They laughed.  Though they were affected by extreme poverty, they were happy.  They were functioning.

So after an hour long visit we left.

And we were confused.

This wasn’t a cut and dry situation.

There is no abuse.   There is no neglect.  Rather, the kids seem to love their father and get along well as siblings.

Yes, there is the risk that they will never finish school, may never become legal citizens (they don’t have birth certificates), may never have decent paying jobs, may never break out of poverty.

There is a risk that they will not be spiritually grounded.  They may never move beyond casual church attendance and find hope and life through Jesus.

We look at these risk factors and think, “our purpose is to rescue children at risk!”

And yet . . .

Is poverty a reason to break up a family?  Does a life without an education still have value?  Does everyone who is in poverty need rescuing?  Can God use other means to draw to Himself those He has elected, or is He dependent on US bringing these kids to CMP?

We ask these questions.  We look at these kids.  We see their needs.  We pray. We pray.  We pray.

And in the end we realize . . . it’s complicated. 

Sometimes there are no easy answers. 

These children obviously have great needs.  But what is our purpose?  What is our responsibility?  What is God calling us to do to help support this family?

Is it best for the girls to leave their brothers and father whom they love for the hope of a better future?  Is it best for them to stay with their family and trust that God will work for good in their lives where they are?  Do we offer financial support to help them economically?  But then what about their spiritual poverty?  Who is going to free them from that?  (They live too far away from our sites for us to be consistently involved in their daily lives). 

Then we look around at all the kids in the DR.  There are literally thousands of children who are in similar or worse situations as this family.  When we think of inviting children into the program we have to consider that we are making a commitment of at least 10 years.  How do we determine which needy at-risk children out of all those thousands are the ones that should come to CMP? 

There are so many questions.

This is a lot harder than it sounded when we first went to visit.

But at night we can sleep.  We can sleep because we know that the God who created these children loves them far more than we will ever be able to.  We can sleep because we know that the God who sent His son to redeem the lost will send the right people to bring the good news of salvation to these children and if He calls them to be His own, they will be saved. 

And we can trust that He will guide us to do what He knows is best for these kids.

So we rest.  And we continue to pray.  And we wait to see what God has planned.