In Real Life These Are Their "Last Calls"

I started reading a graphic novel called In Real Life (by Cory Doctorow) about a girl, Anda, who, through the course of the story, realizes that the people on the other side of the screen of her computer game are real people. The boy she tries to help ends up getting fired from his job because of how she tried to help in a very naive way. She did little research into the circumstances Raymond was in, but not enough. Anda jumps to the concussion that a strike is what is needed, but, as I said, it made things worse.

She tries, but is unable to do anything physically for this boy in China.

As I was posting the review for it on Caitlyn's Modest Reviews I was also listening to my Facebook feed and some of the horrible things that are happening in the middle east. The one that struck me in connection to In Real Life were the "Last Calls" of the citizens in Aleppo. As bombs are flying overhead, as they walk around their burning and crumbling city, they are making what could possibly be their final call out to the people they love and care about. They don't know if they are going to live ten more minutes to send another tweet to say they are alive. They may not be alive.

I've looked up a few of these videos that people have posted to the internet and they make me cry. My heart breaks for them and there is seriously very little I can actually do. I am not a politician. I am not a military general. I'm not a government official. My voice is small amide the chaos around me.

But the world tremors with cries for help.

What am I supposed to do? Really do?

I sit here in my warm home with my child and husband asleep upstairs in their rooms. I sit next to a Christmas Tree that have a few present for my friends and family, whom I know are safe and sound a few cities away. I sit here and write a blog post about the latest book I finished and my thoughts on it. I listen to Facebook and the humm of my fridge which may not be full but it has food in it.

What can I do? Realistically, what can I do?

I know I can't jump on a plane; I'm no nurse; I seriously have very little money. If I were going to do anything, I wouldn't be able to do anything by myself.

As I've sat here and thought, there are somethings I am able to do. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has the best welfare system that I know. They money and food goes to the places that need it, not to some fake leader's pockets. We have missionaries helping in refugee camps and aide stations around the world. For those who are LDS and wish to help, add some more money to your tithing and give to the Welfare Services.

While tithing envelopes may not be able to help the people in Aleppo today, my prayers can. You're prayers can. Pray for them. Give them strength to gather their families to run. Discernment about which alley to take to avoid bombs. Peace when they see loved ones fall. To be taken quickly, if it is their time to meet God.

I know prayers are answered, because even the littlest prayers are answered for me. So why wouldn't the big ones?

Father loves all of His children and He wants them safe. However, He can't force other's actions. Agency is our gift, bought by the blood of Christ. Father can't stop all of our trials; they why we are here on this earth.

The Spirit of Peace isn't here on the earth anymore, anyone who says otherwise is being deceived. Peace, in our heart, in our mind, in the world around us, is something we need to pray for in order to get it. There is too much chaos for it to stay.

Pray for strength. Our Father in Heaven will always grant us strength when we ask for it. Always.

Prayer cannot make anything worse because Father listens to us and He wants to help us. What is amazing is that He knows the best way to help us. Sometimes that mercy is extended in the form of death. But death is not something to despair over. This is not the end. Father has a plan for each of us and often it is more grand than we realize.

Oh, if the whole world would kneel down and fervently, meaningfully, purposefully pray, how drastically different would it be?





Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh7jOP0RBqI
Prayer Photo: http://www.worldnetworkofprayer.com/