Choices

Life is a series of choices.  Some choices menial, which merely consist of deciding to buy that white chocolate blueberry scone from Starbucks…again.  But, many choices that we make daily affect our lives in a greater way than adding calories to ones diet….   Worse yet, many choices that we make affect the lives of others as well.

In Cambodia, many parental choices have led the children to Rescue.  Choices, such as gambling, which result in selling off ones own child in order to help pay off gambling debt.  Although sad and shocking to the westerner, this occurrence is more common than one might think.  I don't pretend to know even a quarter of the children's stories here, but this has happened to 3 of the children that I can think of off the top of my head.

The choice of having sex with that hooker…. cheating on one's wife… causing division and death in families as the result of HIV and AIDS.  Children from "well-off" families, turned to collecting garbage in the streets to make some money for the now single mom of 4 children.  Then, having th children watch their mother die from the infection their father had given their mother.

Choosing to have yet another drink…. then to go home and beat your wife, again, and again, and again.  Maybe the abuse has turned to murder.  Allowing your children to see what actions you have chosen to take.  Moulding the images and memories of innocent minds.

These are stories I know to be true of some of the children here…. but I am more than aware that these things happen in North America as well.  Maybe the choices made are not as drastically negative as some of these…. but the choices that are made negatively affect a loved one?  a stranger?  a friend?  This is a question we need to consider and ask ourselves.