What Love Means

Love is not self-seeking, self-gratifying or self-serving.  It does not demand its rights.  Can you imagine a mother demanding her right to sleep, while her helpless baby cries for hunger in the night?  If she exercises that right, it would be wrong.  We would call her heartless. Yet, we act in similar manner when the needy cries for help in the darkness of their gloom.  We turn away saying that it is our hard earned money, or we need to rest and can’t give of our time.  Tithe has already been given, there is nothing more to give, we believe we have done enough, we have nothing else left to give to the poor.  But, we expect God to supply all our needs because we have given Him a tenth off our net salary.  What more can we give?  We selfishly give the most we think we can to God, expecting to get a large return on investment, without investing much in those who are in need. It is usually, all about us.  

Even parents don’t want to discipline their children because they don’t want their children to think they are mean.  Those are loveless parents, who care more about themselves than their children. Parents who do not discipline their children, are giving them a death sentence.  Love disciplines, in spite of what the one who is being disciplined thinks.  Love disciplines, wanting the child and others to be the best they can be and have the abundant life.  

A mother lovingly holds her child

The one who loves may hurt deeply and may even die for the one who hates him.  Love is not concerned with self, but rather the welfare of others.  Love makes decisions with the best interest of others at heart, even though they may not understand or agree with those decisions. 

When the one who truly loves, counts the cost, he recognizes he may be getting the bad end of the deal, but still loves anyway. 

The Power of Love

"...the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

I met Kalia over a year and a half ago, and I truly believe it is the love of her parents and her extended family that not only makes her survive, but thrive under the circumstances she has had to endure since birth.

Kalia in the hospital

Kalia's first surgery was the very day she was born as she had no anus. The skin on her stomach was cut and her intestines were put on the outside through the incision so that she would be able to pass her feces. However, her battle had only just begun.  At just three days old she had her next surgery. This time it was on her esophagus, which her parents described as being attached to her lungs. When she was swallowing, air and food were going down the same passage.

These conditions would be taxing on an adult, nevertheless, Kalia's afflictions do not end there.  Compounding her situation are issues with her heart and kidney, along with an arm with no radius bone. She also has asthma, and is often admitted to the hospital for wheezing and shortness of breath.  With all these ailments, undoubtedly, she is susceptible to infections.

Kalia and her cousins

It is hard for her young parents to see their little daughter suffering, but they have learned to cope with the many emergency room visits and long hospital stays.  Thankfully, Kalia lives with a loving extended family who are there to help her and her parents lighten their burden. Unfortunately, she and her family live in an inner-city community in Jamaica and they cannot afford all her medical expenses.  

Expecting miracles, Kalia's grandmother often brings her to visiting missionaries and church groups for them to pray for her.  I too believe that amazing things can happen through prayer, but I also understand that we are to be Jesus' hands and feet here on Earth.  We have been positioned to help Kalia in whatever way we can. Learn more about how you can play your part.

Visiting missionaries pray for Kalia as she is being held by her grandmother

Kalia's story has made it to one of the nation's leading newspapers and now many persons are aware of all the challenges she has faced at such a young age and have fallen in love with her.  However, love is an action word, so now we must act and help Kalia have the best life she possibly can.  Love Now...Act Now!!!