Children among more than 200 bodies recovered from capsized migrant boat

I read an article by Sarah Sirgany and Schams Elwazer on CNN. I want to state that such gory news is now everyday, even many a day. This reminds me of what Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 10:7, when he sent the 12 out – the kingdom of God is near.

A migrant boat carrying about 450 people which had sailed from Egypt to get to Italy overturned last Wednesday 12 nautical miles northeast of Rashid — also known as Rosetta — in El Beheira governorate. The Egyptian authorities were able to pull over 200 bodies out of the Mediterranean Sea. The authorities had been able to recover children amongst the dead; even a four year old. Many of those on board were from Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia, according to survivors.

Well now they have gone to their Maker. They have gone to Him who gives life and takes away. They will stop struggling. They will stop trying to make it better. They will stop trying to get their children to a better place of opportunity. They will stop being under oppression. They will stop being hungry and tired and unhappy. They will stop living the life they had before that they tried so hard and risked it all to get away from.

And yet I feel that the level of these occurrences, and the sheer brutality that has become life should give us some pause, and we ponder on what we can do to pray for those in this world. We are Christians. I am a Christian. I do not take that capacity lightly. Moses did not take it lightly either. When God showed Him His intent to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah, Moses did not shrug and go off unconcerned. I see a level of detachment and apathy that is very disturbing. We shrug and say, “Not in my backyard! They must not come here! They are scroungers. They are Muslims. They are going to change our way of life!’ Well they have gone to their Maker.

Read Genesis 18:16-33 Moses did not shrug off Sodom & Gomorrah! He pleaded. He begged God. He interceded. He asked God to have mercy. I wonder if there were Christians on that failed migrant boat…. Maybe there were believers on that boat also trying to get away from oppression, hunger, tiredness and strife in their countries. I wonder if their Bibles washed onto the sea. I wonder if they cried out to Him as the boat failed! I wonder if we will learn from Moses who God called His friend in Genesis 16:17. I pray we do. And because we choose to learn from Moses, maybe God will trust us enough to call us His friend, and trust us to tell us what is on His heart; maybe we would just be able to get ourselves to pray for those who are hurting and pray intently for those things we do not understand.

Linda Faith

Linda faith is the Editor in Chief of Jewels Magazine. She co-pastors along with her husband Revival Worship Church, Tampa. She is a prolific writer and powerful speaker, inspiring many women to be all God has called them to be. She is the founder of Joy Women’s conference which reaches out to empower, inspire and motivate women in their faith walk.