compassion fatigue and what is vital

I have been following the blog of a young pediatric nurse serving in Togo with Mercy Ships.  www.alirae.net/blog  She is overwhelmed with the needs, many of which her team is not equipped to meet. Her palpable pain with unnecessary suffering and death brings me to my biggest concern when I begin work in Sudan--the need is so much more overwhelming than we will be able to meet. I have the personality to work really hard and not give up until the job is complete.  But the work is never done in Africa.  There is always someone else in need, hungry, hurting, dying. I think of how Jesus could have healed entire villages with a word or wave of his hand--but he chose to touch one at a time. I long for the mind of Christ as I begin serving the millions in need.


I'm reminded of my work at the children's shelter where the hurts are often deeper than we can touch in the children's 45 day stay.  Our director for a number of years had this story on his wall to help with perspective.

"Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he was it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, "Good morning!  What are you doing?"
The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."
"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish int the ocean?"
"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."
"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean, past the breaking waves and said-- "It made a difference for that one."

God cares man's soul more than starfish and sparrows, more than our physical pain and emotional distress, more than our job and our social standing.  He longs to know us and be known by us. His plan involves bringing the nations to Himself and seeing the whole world filled with those who worship Him. He allows us, commands us, honors us, to be a part of sharing His Truth. "May the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea."  This thought is repeated 14 times in scripture.

"But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?"  Romans 10:14