My Cause

You know how most people have a cause? Like something they are totally into and fighting for...or at least a soft spot for some charity or another. I've been thinking about what mine is lately and I'm not sure how to go about "fighting" for it. I'm working on it though. It bothers me that there aren't more ways to get involved, raise awareness or just plain help this cause. There are several walks and fund raisers for various diseases, blood drives and donation boxes for one thing or another all over town, but this year was the first year my city had a walk against child abuse. Why isn't it more important? Not that the charities I just mentioned deserve anything less but I'm concerned that it's taken this long for us to even have a gathering for this cause. My husband says it's because it's "ugly". He says it's easier to fight for something like cancer because it's easier to talk about. Again, I mean no disrespect to the fight against cancer but I think he might be onto something. It's more acceptable to fight against a nasty rouge cell...we can hate cancer..we can try to develop drugs to destroy the vile consumer...we have things we can devote our energy to and it's a noble act to carry each other through the battle. But watch a neighbor kick their kid across the front yard, and most of us would shake our heads and just close our doors. Child abuse is ugly, but if we don't stare it in it's ugly face things will never change. I know the answer to child abuse isn't an easy one. I know that protecting children from the adults who harm them isn't an easy thing to do. I know that the foster care system isn't without flaws, but we have to start somewhere. If you see something say something. No matter how difficult, you may be the only voice that child has. I don't know if people fully understand what abuse can do to a child. When someone abuses a child they murder who that child was. Think about that. They alter the spirit of that child and change who they would have become. They take something no one has the right to take. I read stories of abuse in the news and my heart breaks for those children and then reading  the "punishments" the perpetrators receive seems like a sick joke. Why aren't we outraged about this? Someone can steal a car and receive a longer sentence then someone who harms a child. Why? And then someone who repeatedly harms children is given second, third, fourth chances to do it again. Why? Why doesn't it keep us up at night? Someone can abuse children and still get to keep their own ? Makes sense right? I think it's because we don't see it everyday. We don't have commercials of children with black eyes and broken bones.... people would be outraged...just as outraged as they are when they see that commercial of the emaciated puppy left in an abandoned house. I'm not promoting commercials depicting battered children but the point I'm trying to make is just because you don't see it, just because it's not staring you in the face, just because it hasn't affected your everyday life does not mean it's not happening. We don't want to look at this..but we need to.  Where is the outrage for these innocent children? The fight against child abuse needs to be just as  talked about as any other cause. Each adult has an obligation to the children they come in contact with. Every single child deserves the chance to grow up without being harmed. That's it. There is no debate needed. And for those who harm children, well, for starters we need to actually have consequences that strike fear in people. It's going to take people caring enough to do something..to start making the changes. It's taken me 37 years to become fully aware but I believe God has put this on my heart for a reason. So many things need to change, but I can't think of anything more worth the fight. ~ Mathew 18:10 See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven.~