Are you too busy?

Jeanne shared this story this morning in church today.

The picture above was taken by Kevin Carter in 1990, a freelance photographer whose pictures appeared in Newsweek, Time Magazine and US World. While out on assignment in the Sudan, Kevin walked upon this three year girl who was crawling on her hands and feet towards the medical and feeding station just one kilometer away. Behind this little girl, a vulture waits.

The story goes that he snapped the picture and jumped quickly into his jeep and sped off to his next appointment. Tragically, his next appointment was only four minutes away. But in the midst of his busyness, he didn't think he had enough time to do anything to help the little girl.

When Kevin arrived back to America and had the photograph developed. The picture of the girl and vulture appeared in magazines and newspapers across the country. It captured the essence of the tragedy in Sudan. Kevin eventually went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for the picture.

This story, however, has a tragic ending. Only a few months after receiving the Pulitzer Price, Kevin continued to be haunted by the fact he had done nothing to help the dying little girl. The traumatizing thoughts and images tormented him so deeply that he ended his on life.

Now, that's what the story says, but who knows if that's exactly the way it goes ... stories get so twisted on the internet. Maybe it wasn't the little girl, but simply the result of the countless scenes of horror that he captured through the years of being an acclaimed photographer that made him want to end his life. Regardless, the picture is priceless and begs the question, "Are you one who will simply walk on by those who are physically or spiritually hurting and/or dying ... or will you simply walk on by? My personal, honest, answer to that question ... both, depending on the day. My prayer is that God would give me eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart that acts. He's still working on me.

I love you.