Compassion...Where do I start?

Here are some highlights from Leadership Weekly (a Christianity Today e-newsletter):

Leader's Insight: Head 'Em Off at the Impasse
With so much suffering in the world, where do we start?
by Karen Keen, guest columnist

One of the great foilers of good intentions is "overwhelm-paralysis." The engulfing wave of global suffering can immobilize the most ardent leader. Gary Haugen, in Good News About Injustice, writes, "We feel like deer frozen by headlights … Instead of energizing us for action, the overwhelming injustice in our world actually makes us feel numb." ...learn from trailblazers who are forging ahead. One guiding light is Dr. Viji Cammauf, founder of Little Flock Children's Homes, an organization aspiring to reach orphans and widows worldwide...

Start small.
Taking a cue from one of her own role-models, missionary Amy Carmichael, Viji focuses on the importance of one child at a time. "When you hear about the millions that are homeless or orphaned, it seems like an overwhelming number that you cannot do anything about," says Viji. "But, if you start with one, that makes a big difference in the life of that one child."...

Rely on God's power.
Early on, Viji learned human effort is not enough to change the world. As an idealistic teenager, she joined Gandhi's Freedom Fighters on a month-long journey across her native country.

...Viji says, "I realized we could not change India through the teachings of a human being." ...Viji's confidence rests in knowing God's vibrant power is at work on our behalf.

Persevere.
..When faced with...challenges, Viji says, "You keep moving in the direction God has given you. You don't give up. If God has given you promises, hold on to that, and persevere."

Leaders like Viji remind us that meaningful action begins with transforming our despair into imaginative solutions. It begins with the question, "What am I going to do about it?" Then, with finding the courage to take that first small step. What about you? When have you felt overwhelmed? What enables you to move from impasse to action?