Compassion

This past week, our school had the opportunity to participate in two different Haitian relief efforts. We took part in our state department’s hygiene kit program and also a Hats for Haiti fundraiser. Cole had seen on the news that another school allowed the kids to wear hats to school if they donated $1 to the relief efforts. He mentioned the idea to our principal and she told him yes, if he had a sponsor. I willingly offered to be his sponsor because I wanted to encourage and support him in doing something compassionate for others. I’m so glad I did!

Our school district raised enough money to purchase  110 kits to add to the kits the students brought to school. We ended up taking over 376 kits collected this past week. The kits included a full size shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, a hand towel and a comb. Our elementary goal was to collect 10o kits and we ended up with 273 from the elementary alone. That is practically two kits per three students. I know times are hard for people and this effort came on the heels of a fundraiser for Camp Barnabas, so I was truly overwhelmed with the generosity of our students, teachers and community.

 

Most of all, I’m so proud that my son has a heart that is compassionate. I hope that age and the world will not change his heart. He recognizes the need to help others in need. Period.

Taking the boxes to Convoy of Hope yesterday filled a place in my heart that I will not soon forget. Each and every person we met at Convoy  was friendly, kind and hard-working. They even let Shelly back her truck up to the loading dock so they could unload all of the boxes for us.

 

Although our efforts may seem meager compared to the enormity of needs we have in our country and others, it’s so humbling to know that we have the opportunity to be able to help in some small way.

A super special thanks to my friends, Shelly and Kristi, for staying at school with me until 10 PM on Monday, to count, sort, package and load the boxes to be taken yesterday.  They are amazing!

 

 

We also got to see one of my dad’s childhood friends.  He helped Cole unload everything.  :) (This made it even more special!)

I prayed over the kits in hopes that they will be given to children who will feel blessed, in some small way, amidst all the tragedy that they have seen and endured since the January 12th earthquake.

My heart breaks for Haiti

This week, my emotions are all over the place. I’m heartbroken for the victims in Haiti. The mass burials. The loss of life. The desperation and the struggle for the survivors to begin living a new life with less than they had before.  I want to be able to do more, but I feel so helpless. My meager donation to the American Red Cross feels less than adequate.

I have been reading Money Saving Mom’s blog for quite some time and I want to encourage you to visit Crystal’s post about how she and her family are helping the victims in Haiti. Just by blogging about my small donation, her family will donate $10 to Compassion’s outreach in Haiti. If you have never heard of Compassion International, you should visit the site here.

(Click on the picture  to go to Money Saving Mom’s post.)

When I got on Facebook tonight to catch up on status updates, I was very disappointed to read a few of the discouraging words people were saying about the aid that is being sent to help the Haitians and it broke my heart even further. I am not usually one to let others opinions sway my feelings toward them when I know they are passionate about what they are saying, but sometimes I feel like we are so desensitized to everything anymore that all we think of is ourselves. We don’t stop to walk a mile in anyone’s shoes before we start complaining. 

It doesn’t matter if you make all the money in the world and live in beautiful mansions or palaces or if you live in a lean-to on a mattress in the mud, natural disasters are not something we can control and I have never heard anyone ask for something so catastrophic to happen to anyone.  Why wouldn’t we want to help?

I don’t believe that we should be so quick to judge what is going on when we are so far removed from what has actually happened. The news is only capable of showing a tiny glimpse into the devastation these people have faced and will face for years to come. Our hearts should be focused on these poor, broken people and the lives that were lost, not pointing fingers and blaming those who are trying to help in the most basic way. We can’t all get on a plane and go to Haiti to help rescue victims and take care of the injured. Making financial contributions, whether it be through our government or through our texts/phone bills, we owe it to our brothers in sisters in Christ to make a difference. 

I have so much more that I want to say, but I risk ruffling too many feathers and that is not my intention. However, if all of this tragedy was happening to you and  your family, would it be more helpful to have people tell you how you should recover or actually take part in helping you recover?

Making miracles happen

After watching countless Children's Miracle Network (CMN) stories Sunday, I felt a lot of mixed emotions. I felt blessed that my children are healthy; scared that something could happen to them; sadness for families that face heartbreak through the illness of their children and the pain that small children have to go through; joy for the amount of money being raised for such a great cause; thankful that parents are able to have an organization to rely on in their time of need and most of all I felt compelled to do something to help.

I don't know exactly how yet, obviously it will be financial in some way, but I did a little more research. Did you know you can buy magazines to support our local CMN? You can also do lots of online shopping through companies that will donate a certain percentage of money to CMN, including Amazon, ebay, Wal-Mart, GAP, Kohl's, Staples, Aeropostale, etc. You can find out more through the Shopping for Miracles site. I encourage you to visit.

With that being said, I did a lot of reflecting today about who I am and my role in this world. I have come to the realization that I need to start enjoying life like a child a lot more. My kids were a perfect example today. Who would have imagined that they would have so much fun in a $7 teeny tiny two-ring, blow up pool? They barely both fit in the tiny thing, but somehow they managed to make it the most exciting part of their day. I have to admit that seeing the joy on my children's faces truly makes me wonder at what point I quit enjoying life like a child? Life is pretty good through the eyes of my children. I pray that they will continue to to be happy and healthy.