Many of you may know that I am running a race to raise support for World Vision. World Vision is an organization that I support wholeheartedly and I think you should as well. I received this in my email today.
Dear Friend,
I'm writing today with a different kind of request. Would you take a few minutes to pray? Here's why: There are 750,000 people who could starve to death in the next four months in an area of Somalia that aid agencies have not been able to reach.
This situation is horrific and avoidable. Families are walking 100 miles in search of aid, and often only the strongest survive the journey. In many cases, women are burying their children on the side of the road as they flee. This tragedy breaks my heart.
In the middle of the famine, in South-Central Somalia, we aren't even able to reach these starving children. World Vision had deep, long-term community relationships in Somalia since 1992, but we were forced to leave this part of the country in 2010. Armed groups demanded most aid organizations leave.
It is horrible knowing that we have been prevented from rescuing starving people. Our work elsewhere in East Africa is saving lives, where we are distributing therapeutic food for children, clean water, sturdy tents, and essential medical care.
You can imagine the needs of a family who has walked for days without food and very little water, a mother and a father who have just buried their children. The needs there are great. Yet governments and private donors have provided less than half of what the world needs to adequately respond.
Please pray.
We need safe access to help starving people. We need the resources to adequately care for the half million people now in overcrowded refugee camps. To achieve this, we need a breakthrough.
Please join us in prayer that World Vision and other aid organizations would be able to access the regions in Somalia where three quarters of a million people could starve to death. And pray for the financial resources to complete this job. I know that with your prayer, we can do this. "Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.'" — Mark 10:27 (NIV)
In prayer with you,
Rich Stearns
President, World Vision U.S.
Please be in prayer about this horrific situation. But please do more than just pray. Pour your heart out to God, shed tears over this situation. Imagine yourself in their shoes, but then get up and do something. Donate. Run a race. Support me in my efforts. But, please, do not simply read this, feel bad for a moment, then go about your business. Too much is at stake.
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