Thursday, August 12, 2010

A Matter of Perspective

I was amazed to hear of the recent incident involving an airline steward and his irate behavior on the plane he was serving. Everyone has a different way of looking at this incident, a different perspective of his motives, his attitude, the attitude of the other passengers involved, and it reminded me of another story I heard once.

There was a man on a train holding a small child who was wailing at the top of his lungs. As time went on during the journey the child would not stop wailing and the other passengers became uncomfortable.

They begin to murmur among them selves, “Where is the child’s mother?” “Why can’t he shut the child up?” “Why doesn’t somebody do something?” Finally they asked the conductor these questions and he didn’t have an answer for them so they insisted he go over and ask the man to quiet the child.

The conductor went over to the man and asked, “Could you please quiet the child he's disturbing the other passengers?”

The man replied, “I cannot quiet the child only his mother could get him quiet.

The conductor then asked, “Where is his mother?”

The man replied, “She is in the baggage car.”

The conductor suggested, “I would be glad to go and get her for you.”

The other passengers were listening to this conversation being very angry and frustrated with the child and his father, they awaited his answer.

The man looked up to the conductor with red weary eyes and said, “She cannot come nor can she any more comfort our child. She is in her coffin and we are on the way to bury her.”

The passengers who were so ready to condemn were now moved with compassion and they volunteered to take turns helping care for the child while their weary father rested. You see their perspective had changed.

We are looking for people who can change their perspective; people who can hear the wailing of the children in Africa and want to help comfort them. You can help by sending them to our web site, inviting them to our scheduled events, giving them a brochure, and most of all, asking them to sponsor a child.

We cannot bring back their parents, but the funds you provide from your sponsorship help give them comfort and a future. Thanks to all of you who are willing to change your perspective. Don’t stop!

D