White Helmets

Last night, CBS News reported on the White Helmets, a group of volunteers who rush to bombed buildings to try to save people buried in the rubble.

It was a difficult piece to watch, very moving and filled with emotion as children were uncovered, both alive and dead.

The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. - Isaiah 11:6

In today's readings we have Isaiah talking of peace and Revelation talking of death and destruction, both signaling the coming of the Messiah.

As we rush headlong into Christmas and our celebration of the coming of Christ, we are reminded that the season is not about gifts and sales, but about people.

I am not sure I fully understand what is going on in Syria.  There are too many reports from all sides of the conflict to make sense of who is right and who is wrong.  Some sources claim the government is right to march in against the rebels and retake the city.  Others show the fight for survival of the refugees.  I don't know how I am supposed to feel about all that.  I do know how I feel about children being killed.  That is wrong.

I guess my problem is one of not knowing whom to believe, but maybe that is not the challenge here.  Maybe it is time for me to have an opinion without being told who the good guys are, if there are any in this fight.

I grew up during the Cold War, being told who the enemy was.  On TV bad guys wore black hats and good guys wore white.  So, for me, white helmets are good.

But whether the ones wearing white are in the right or not, they are doing something I can support; they are saving lives.

That, I think is the real issue.

In this modern day media frenzy, where anyone can get his message heard, I find the noise confusing.  So, I have to clear away all the distraction and take each issue as it comes.

Throughout the world, children are dying.  Some are being stolen into slavery.  Some are being trained as terrorists.  Some are being crushed by bombs.  Some are being abused and neglected.  Some are being shot on the street.

Children shouldn't be dying.

I can say that without taking sides, and I can say we all need to wear white helmets to do what we can to help the children.

So, this Christmas, I pledge to give time, talent and treasure to help children live.  I will do it wherever I can.  And I will not be fooled by reports that this or that source is wrong or right.  Does it matter?

More to come...