Have you heard the sleeping with bread story?
It comes to life about the thousands of children orphaned and left to starve during the bombing raids of World War II when we visit relatives in England and Wales. Traumatized after experiencing the terror of bombings and abandonment, these children were rescued and sent to refugee camps where they received food and shelter. Even though they were once again safe and well cared for, it was not unusual for them to be unable to sleep at night. They were afraid they would wake up to find themselves homeless and hungry again.
Nothing the adults did seemed to reassure them, until one night someone thought to send one of the children to bed with a loaf of bread. It worked! Sleeping with bread, holding onto it, the children were able to fall asleep, and if they awoke frightened in the night, the bread reminded them, “I ate today, and I will eat again tomorrow.”
What terrible times those days were and how horrific that those days are being repeated today in places like Aleppo, Syria, Haiti, Lebanon, Nigeria…
Soon we will light the candles on our Advent wreath in preparation of the night Jesus was born, another night in His life floods my mind. It’s the night when He took bread and broke it and gave it to those He loved.
He knew how they, and we, living in a cruel and mixed up world, would need Him after He was gone. How we, like children sleeping with bread, would be able to hold onto Him—be given peace in our uncertainty, mercy in brokenness, and something solid to hang onto when hope was needed.
We may not be able to save every refugee child in the world, but we can do something. Here are two reputable Christian organizations I have found that are a good way to help: Compassion International and Samaritans Purse.
Please pray that each and every refugee child will be cared for and come to know the saving love and grace of The Bread of Heaven. (John 6:51)
Visit Compassion International http://bit.ly/2fNRSiM
Visit Samaritans Purse http://sampur.se/2gv99hU
