A COMPASSIONATE HEART
Back in nineteen sixty three, I was in Okinawa
And I was moved with compassion at what I saw.
I saw a small boy, about four, pick up an apple
that was bitten off of and eat it.
I saw a man on a bicycle with an old suit coat on,
flip flops on his feet in freezing weather.
I saw women eating and getting food
for their family's out of garbage cans.
I saw men and women working in rice paddies
waist deep.
I saw school children wave as if to say,
''Take me with you to America.''
If this doesn`t break one`s heart, nothing will.
In nineteen eighty five - nineteen ninety four,
I went on a week`s mission trip each summer.
We did ministry and worked on church buildings.
I was hot and there was no air conditioners.
Some places, we had services outside.
They put planks on concrete blocks for us to sit on.
We went to an orphanage and did some work.
We took time to play with all the children.
We took them on a bus to get them shoes.
The children were so happy to see us,
And they were sad to see us go.
If this doesn`t move you to compassion.
Nothing will.
I thank God for these years.
And I was moved with compassion.
[ FreeVerse - And I was moved ]
Hostess: frog first - JoAnn
By poetalthomas
© 2008 poetalthomas
(All rights reserved)
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