Originally published in the WFCF Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 1, May 2007
The mission of WFCF is to provide medical care and treatment to orphaned and abandoned children in third world countries. Why do it? Why do we do it? Why should you do it? Here for your consideration are some thoughts offered by known and unknown persons from across the world, from across the ages, from across civilizations, from the secular, and from a wonderful diversity of religious backgrounds:
A little girl was late arriving home from school, so the mother began to scold her:
“Why are you so late?”
“I had to help another girl. She was in trouble.”
“What did you do to help her?”
“Oh, I just sat down and helped her cry.” —Anonymous
Yes, we believe that we are responsible for the welfare of our brothers and sisters, regardless of where they are or whatever their age is. And for that reason, WFCF tries to reach out to children all over the world. We also believe that orphaned and abandoned are at great disadvantage relative to adults within and outside of their homeland.
“If we had paid no more attention to our plants than we have to our children, we would now be living in a jungle of weed.”—Luther Burbank
Burbank is perhaps the world’s best-known lover of plants and all of the good that can come from them to be benefit of mankind. But clearly from his comment above, he understood the supremacy of man over plant and our responsibility to take care of and nurture the children. A jungle can be a scary place and a weed is an unwanted plant. Children should not be unwanted, and their world should not be a jungle.
“Children feel the whiteness of the lily with a graphic and passionate clearness which we cannot give them at all. The only thing we can give them is information—the information that if you break the lily in two, it won’t grow again.”—G. K. Chesterton
When WFCF sees sick and/or injured orphaned and abandoned children, WFCF feels the good and potential that is within those children. We are passionate about giving that good and potential the chance to blossom. By helping these children, we hope to fix or improve on their physical problems, so that their character as well can grow again.
“Blessed be the hand that prepares a pleasure for a child, for there is no saying when and where it may bloom forth.”—Douglas William Jerrold
Most people appreciate the kind thought, kind words, or kind acts that are shared and granted to them. The hope is that they will pass it on—perhaps soon, perhaps years later, perhaps both. This thought is the core of William Wordsworth’s “Ode, Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood.” It is entirely possible that our efforts now will yield great dividends for these children and the world at large. Improve the life of a child and you change the world forever.
“Our greatest obligation to our children is to prepare them to understand and to deal effectively with the world in which they will live and not with the world we have known or the world we would prefer to have.”—Grayson Kirk
We cannot change the world we have known or the world that the injured and ill abandoned and orphaned children of the world have known. Nor can we provide them with a utopia. But helping them to alleviate their injury or illness will help them deal more effectively with their world.
“The challenge of the mid-century is to find—for our own children and, through international cooperation, for the children of the world—the means by which they can be helped to develop their fullest powers for creative living. Only in this way can we help to build the kind of world in which an enduring peace, with freedom and justice for all, will be achieved.”—Katharine F. Lenroot
If a person is creative, they are creative. Creative children, if they grow to adulthood, will become creative adults. We believe that the work of WFCF will increase the likelihood of the children reaching adulthood and with the knowledge that some strangers very far away were kind, reached out in peace, and gave them at least some additional measure of freedom.
“As we look to the future we realize that the child is the key to peace. How he grows, the personality he develops, the attitude he acquires, the knowledge and the experience he has—all determine how successfully he will live with others in this rapidly shrinking world.”—Lydia Ann Lynde
We believe that the work of WFCF will increase the likelihood of the children reaching adulthood and with the knowledge that some strangers very far away were kind, reached out in peace, and gave them at least some additional measure of freedom.
“The conscience of children is formed by the influences that surround them; their notions of good and evil are the result of the moral atmosphere they breathe.”—Jean Paul Richter
The work of WFCF enhances the medical condition and quality of life for the children. Kindness and sharing, especially with those unlikely to be able to return the gifts certainly improves the moral atmosphere of these children.
“Charity makes no decrease in property.”—Arabian Proverb
Karma can be a wonderful thing. What a miracle that we can give and not be diminished, and even grow many fold.
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”—I Corinthians 13:2
We believe that a person is successful if others in the world have had a better life because of the person.
“You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”—Ruth Smeltzer
Why Do It? That Is Why! Support the Efforts of WFCF
