The Blindside: Part 2

As I watched The Blindside, I was really struck and captivated by the story. The fact that it is based on a true story is even more amazing. I can’t speak for the real Leigh Anne Tuohy, but Sandra Bullock’s character was portrayed as a white, rich, conservative Christian from Memphis. Right in the bible belt of America. Sound familiar? Similar to some of the religious attitudes in Northern Ireland. I don’t want to give too much of the film away, but essentially she takes in a homeless kid, who she knows nothing about, from the ‘other side’ of town. She raises him along with her biological family and and totally changes the course of his life. 

Why did she do this? It seems strange that she would take this guy in. Her peers, other rich, white, conservatives mock her and are patronising towards her. ‘Another one of your litte projects’ is how they described her act of kindness. 

As I watched the movie it struck me that this is the kind of love that Christ showed, and that we are to show to others. Christians in NI, and I include myself in this, are so quick to judge others, ‘They are homeless for a reason’, ‘if they wanted to get our of poverty they could do it themselves, meanwhile we sit in our nice homes, watching our TVs, playing our xboxs. While there are people who we could be helping. 

One of the ways you could help is by sponsoring a child. I have been sponsoring, Emorutu Ronald, who lives in Uganda, for a few years now, through Compassion International. It’s great to write to him and get letters back, hear how Compassion are making a difference in his life. Compassion work with children all over the world, some who are in need of help. It isn’t a big deal for us here to sponsor a child, even in this economic climate, most of us are doing ok, but there are kids who have nothing. 

Check out Compassion UK or Compassion International, for more information on what they do, and how you can sponsor a child.