EYES ON THE PRIZE

I woke up this morning and opened my email to find a note from a dear friend who expressed concern over this article http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/27/ugandan-gay-rights-activist-david-kato-slain-after-being-named-o/  about the recent slaying of a gay activist in Uganda, a country which is considering the death penalty for homosexuals. This of course is the same Uganda to which I am planning to travel and to which I have been offering my skills in preparing an orphanage and school, building roads, providing potable water and bringing in power. This is the same Uganda in which 20 of the sweetest orphaned children are awaiting my arrival this summer.

What can I possibly say of a place which holds in some of its highest places a misplaced fear and hatred of God's people. And that is exactly who homosexuals are - God's people. Regardless of how you or I think, believe, understand God to be or people to be; these are God's people and no one has the right to take a life. But what do I do when the decisions of a country dictate that I, my family or friends may not be safe in this country because or our beliefs or lifestyles/orientation? What then?

And so I said in response to my friend, "Lifting it all up in prayer. What do you do when you know the work you are ordained to do is in a part of the world which does not favor you? I am seeking my answers through God. We will see." At the end of the day I already know the answer. Keep my eyes on the prize. Go do the work I am ordained to do.

I am reminded of two verses in the bible. "I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron." Isaiah 45:2. And  "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." I do not know what will happen when I get there, but I know I will go. Perhaps I am the one with an answer. Perhaps I am the one whose influence will create change. Perhaps I will just go and love these children, build their homes, their schools and keep moving. Perhaps I will effect no change whatsoever in the call for human rights. More than likely, God will make a way for me before I get there. In fact, I am certain that has already happened.

Whatever happens, I accept it. I accept that this is where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to do. For me the bars of iron and gates of bronze represent the hearts and minds of men. I know my path is made clear and with all of my heart I will follow it. I can't imagine any other life right now. God is with me always. What is our prayer? The light of God surrounds us. The love of God enfolds us. The power of God protects us. The presence of God watches over us. Wherever we are, God is. Wherever I am, God is.

And all is well.

Robin White is the Executive Director of We Can We Care, Inc. her family's non-profit dedicated to decreasing poverty and enriching the lives of the world's poorest children by building homes and schools and by providing renewable and sustainable resources for their health and well being. Robin is also an award-winning author and publisher.
www.wix.com/sunsetpointe/wecanwecare
http://www.robingwhite.com/


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IF...THEN

I remember when I finally got around to learning how to use Excel six or seven years ago I found the formula which required an "if/then" sequence to make an equation work. It went something like: if X equals (place value here) then Y will be (blank). It was a pretty straightforward formula, nothing fancy. In fact, the day after I took the four-hour course I used the formula to find about $60K in lost revenues for the company where I worked. I then used the formula to modify the company's time sheets and made it an online form which could better track billable hours. It was kind of neat - when it worked. When there were too many variables the system could end up being a mess. And by variables, I mean humans.

This month has been a month of lot of variables. I am beginning to understand that in my life I am the biggest variable of all. The decisions I make based on what may or may not happen sometimes get me into hot water. I find myself asking (and often praying): What can I do to make my life transitions run more smoothly, build a better income, find reliable transportation and continue to do the work I am ordained to do as a writer and philanthropist? I keep running the if...then sequences in my mind and often on paper and it all looks good in theory. The problem comes when I put it into practice.

Take last week's snowmageddon for example. I looked at my work schedule and knew roughly how much my pay check would be based on those hours. I gave my paycheck a little wiggle room (it's a little paycheck) and then planned my spending accordingly for rent, household bills and enough for a partial down payment on a car. I figured if I spent wisely, then by the end of the month, I'd be driving again.

Then it snowed six inches and metro Atlanta came to a screeching halt for a week. My job was shut down for three days and on a fourth day I couldn't get a ride home from work so had to forfeit a day's pay. I will be lucky to be able to pay my rent, household bills and cell phone. If your call goes right to voice mail...well. My conclusion: If...then is not very reliable. Life is full of a lot of variables.

I don't know what it is going to take for any of us to get over this financial hump. I do know that the challenge is very taxing on most people I know. A lot of us are living dangerously close to the edge and some of us don't even realize it. I was one of those people once. Now, I am all to keenly aware of my seemingly dwindling cash supply. And even though I know there is money to be made and it is coming in my direction some time in the near future, right now it feels a little hard to bear.

Still, I keep plugging away. Even if I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, I know it is up around the bend. I have to believe there will be an if that has a then which works for me, because if I don't, then I will be in serious trouble. And that has less to do with what is in my bank account than what is in my faith account. That is a bankruptcy I truly can't afford.

So, I will keep working on the if...then calculations. One of them will work at some point. All it's gonna take is some faith and a whole lot of prayer.

Robin "Bobbie!" White is the Executive Director of We Can We Care, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization which is dedicated to decreasing poverty and enriching the lives of the world's poorest children by building homes and schools and by providing renewable and sustainable resources for their health and well being. She is an award-winning author and publisher. For more information go to http://www.robingwhite.com/.


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.