Illustrations

Tom is an acquaintance of mine who just became a daddy. Now, he didn't go to the local hospital for his baby - he and his wife went all the way to China. She's a little girl - and since families are restricted to one child in China, little girls can have a pretty rough time. This one did. She was found by a doctor, abandoned on a doorstep in the middle of a cold night. She was taken to an orphanage where they named her “Precious Treasure” in Chinese. It's almost ironic in light of her being abandoned, isn't it? It took several months, but Tom and his wife were eventually able to arrange the adoption of this precious treasure. She's got a mom and dad now who love her very much - who will never forget the first moment they took her from the folks at the orphanage and held her in their arms. Believe me, she's not an orphan anymore.

When Queen Elizabeth's mother - affectionately known to the British as the "Queen Mum" - died at the age of 101, reporters did a lot of reflecting on her special place in British hearts. Much of it was traced to the way she stood by and supported her husband, the king - as well as the British people - during the darkest days of World War II. Night after night, the German bombers would rain down destruction on England's largest cities. London lived largely underground at night, trying desperately to hold out against Hitler's determination to conquer their little nation. At one point, there was a rumor that Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret - then just little girls - were going to be sent to another country for their safety. When the "Queen Mum" was asked about that, this was her famous reply: "The girls can't leave unless I leave and go with them, and I can't leave unless the King leaves. And the King will never leave."

Our daughter and son-in-law and grandsons were visiting some out-of-state family members recently. Our favorite 4-year-old had gone outside to play. When he tried to come back in the house, he found the door had locked behind him. He tried other doors, but he was locked out, no matter where he went. He yelled loudly, but it was big house and no one was close by. No one heard him. The longer he was locked out without anyone responding to his cries, you can guess, the more desperate he became. And even though he eventually got in, the awful feelings that went with being locked out left a deep impression.

While politicians in Louisiana and the nation’s capital continue their nauseating blame-game over Hurricane Katrina, Christians around the country are in the nitty-gritty details of compassionate action. Pastor Mo Leverett of New Orleans is among them. He and his family made it out with just the clothes on their backs, but immediately turned their attention to helping others get basic supplies and shelter.

You may not remember Tom Southerland but you know his story. Several years ago Shiite Muslims in the Middle East held Tom Sutherland captive for four years... much of his time was spent solitary confinement. In his speech after his captivity he asked an unforgettable question: "Do you know what it’s like to be in prison? To be held hostage? To be a captive? It’s very lonely and you worry that people will forget you. I felt abandoned. I didn’t think anybody even knew I was in prison."