If I Could Be There

The Story Behind The Song, “If I Could Be There For You”

I often wonder why some of the best material comes during the middle of the night! I have to say that usually when things are going great in life there is a tendency to “party”, and when there is a challenge I tend to ponder. This was one of those pondering moments.I have felt so connected to this song in particular. I love little children. I absolutely have such tender feelings for them. It was on a night that I was really dealing with some personal discouragement and frustration that the lyrics and music came for this song.

I was moping around thinking of these “little” problems of mine. Isn’t it interesting how problems are relative? Some of my problems are my relatives… (kidding). Anyway, my problems are nothing compared to some. I am so grateful for that. On the other hand it is really difficult to catch reality some times when you live in “luxury” compared to some.

So, I sat down in front of the television in the basement one night. This was back in the year 2005. It was an interesting night. Right at about 2 a.m. there really isn’t much on the tube. I found my self surfing through the channels and I stopped on a scene that will forever be engraved into my soul. You know those programs on television that focus on the most horrible scenes of life in Africa and then ask you for help. You know I have always just skipped right past those channels. I just never wanted to look because I always felt so helpless and frustrated to watch these horrible pictures. I also wasn’t sure where the money was going to go. I was a little skeptical and guilt filled.

But, this night was very different for me. As I got to this channel, I was so overwhelmed as I watched this scene unfold. The man that was doing the documentary told the story of the two children that he was focusing on. These children had lost their mother to AIDS and their father had abandoned them years earlier. (By the way…Some men don’t deserve the air they breathe. If you desert your family you are worse than dirt.)

Any way, there was a 5 year old little girl and a two year old little boy. I arrived at the channel just as the man was telling us of how this little girl is now the “mom” to the baby boy. I watched as the little girl tucked the toddler into his garbage sack…yes, a garbage sack or bag of some kind. She was so tender about it. It was amazing to see her tenderly stroking the boy’s head as he lay on the dirt with this bag covering him like a blanket. She then laid down by him and cuddled up to him in the night air. She was living under some kind of make-shift shelter next to the garbage dump.

In the morning the camera crew followed the two children. The little boy was sick and his stomach was bloated. She softly took his little hand and talked to him. She then led him to the top of a garbage heap that they were living next to. She then went to work, along with many other children that were there, to find this little boy some breakfast. She found a little piece of corn that was old and had bugs on it. She carefully wiped it on her own clothes to clean it off and then handed it to him to eat. She was so kind to him and again stroked his little head as he ate it, as to comfort him. I watched in absolute horror. My eyes could not hold back the tears.

I had a little 5 year old girl and a 2 year old little boy at the time. Truthfully, I am paralyzed with fear at the thought of my children crossing the street by themselves! I couldn’t imagine how this could be happening. Why are we so clueless to this? Or, maybe we know and rationalize it off because we are going through our own “Big” problems. Whatever it was, my heart knew that things had to change in my own life.

So I resolved to start in my own little way. I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I called the organization that made that video and made a pledge to help. It was a small gesture, but this organization, which by the way is really doing some good things, really inspired me. Then I got on my knees and prayed for help to do something to help, and to understand “what” to do to help these little children.

Going on feelings alone I made a plan. I felt that I needed to do something in my little corner of the world. So if you can picture me standing at a white board in my office, it’s very late, and after crying and praying, I vigorously writing ideas down in my pajama bottoms. Wow, if only my friends could see me through the window. I was a real site! I may have looked ridiculous but I felt and feel empowered. It dawned on me that if we all did a little than great things would happen. One brick at a time the wall to could be built to mend the problems.

Now this may be idealistic, but we must believe that God can make up for our imperfections and shortcomings. If I just commit and do what I know I can, than I believe that I will be doing what God wants me to. I figured that I just needed to do my part. A song seemed like a good place to start.

What do I want for these little kids? I made a list of what I really wanted and then it turned in to a song. The list went like this:

Loving Arms around these little ones.
A warm embrace to comfort them.
The simple Gift of food.
God’s Good Grace to be evident in their lives.
No more sadness… only a bright future.
May these little children find light when things are dark

Then it hit me as I was writing the song that this is what I would do for them if I could. At the end of the song I changed it from “would” to “will” do. If I can touch one life a day then the power of compound “interest” will be in my favor. One will turn in to hundreds a year.

I have a neighbor that spends most of her time in Africa. She is the founder of “Mother’s Without Boarders.” She is committing her whole life to taking in orphans and loving them and blessing them with that list of mine above. I presented this song to her the other day. She just sat there and wept. She lives this song! She is happy woman because she is a living example of true Christ like love. I hope if you get a minute that you will take a look at there website www.motherswithoutborders.org and see what an amazing impact she is having. She is worth supporting!

What ever we do is up to us. The only real challenge is to get behind a good cause and “do it.” God didn’t bless up with all this abundance for us to turn our backs on his other kids. These other kids are our Brothers and Sisters that are in need. I ask you to look inside and DO something right now. Don’t wait for the next inspiration…just commit and I promise you that you will feel better about your own life. Just commit and together we will make a difference to at least one right now.

May God Bless You,

Jared