The first donation!!!

Can you believe Feb 2011 is already over? I know I have a few more days until the actual end of the month but still, the days have just been flying by! Right now I am actually in Vegas on a play work trip (we have actually only had to work for about 3 hrs over 3 1/2 days!!) and I'm taking a break from the festivities to blog. We've been going non-stop and as some of you know, it hasn't been too good on the ol ankle that I broke last Sunday. If you want to see a few pics, jump over to my other personal blog at Prepare to be Impressed.

But the real reason I'm on here today is because I wanted to set up the poll for who to donate to for the month of February. I know since this blog is fairly new and has little traffic (I've been pretty shy about getting this out there in the public) the poll may not be used much, but it's something I'd still love to incorporate each month so readers can get involved. While I might not always give to the most popular choice (there may be a urgent need or a reason to give to one specifically) I'd like to see what you guys are passionate about. For a little more info on this monthly donation please read my earlier blog post here, explaining what I'm going to do each month. I'm excited to get it rolling!

As you guys can see from the poll (on the right side of the blog, at the bottom) I've mentioned 5 different organizations that are making a huge difference this month. Please vote for one that you'd like me to donate to. We have 2 more days in Feb, but once March 1st comes around, I'll be choosing one of the orgs to give $100 to. Check back to see an update :)

And by the way, I got my Compassion packet in the mail with Mavis's beautiful face on it! I can't wait to share it with you!

I'm going to jump up now and get this ankle moving again.. this bag of ice is KILLING me right now! Hope everyone is having a great weekend and don't forget to vote! Thanks!!!!

The Gates Foundation

About a year ago I decided to do some research on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I kept hearing their name come up whenever poverty and change were being discussed and I really wanted to learn more. I knew they were helping organizations all over the world but I didn’t know to what extent. Man, was I ever blown away! I started reading Mr. Gates’ annual letters and put their Foundation blog on my Google Reader. For over a year now, I’ve read blogs and articles that I’ve passed on to people interested and have also learned so much myself about what is going on all over the world. Can you imagine having those resources and being able to give and invest all over the world to help others? I’m so jealous J But at the same time, I stand back in awe seeing HOW the Foundation has gone about giving. They fund and support organizations all over the world that can reach out and accomplish what their 4 hands could never do alone. Instead of starting their own organization that is focused on one area, with one mission, they are able to spread out their resources to many organizations and in turn, change and impact thousands more lives. Babies in Africa are getting vaccinated, kids in the US are being educated and diseases are being wiped out in South America. It just amazes me how one Foundation is able to empower hundreds of people to make a difference. It’s so motivating!

If you haven’t ever checked out their websites, spend a little time doing so. I love that Mr. Gates has a “what I’m learning” type of website as well, which outlines the different directions they are taking to donate and change the world. The man does his homework of course, and it’s fascinating to see what they are working on, what goes through his mind, and to see all of his travels. This citation is from one of Mr. Gates’ blog posts, which shows their history and heart for Africa:  

In 1993 Melinda and I took our first trip to Africa. I was working with Microsoft at the time and I was convinced that the power of technology could change the world.

But during our visit, I saw that many of the world's life-saving, life-enhancing discoveries were not available in Africa. That was deeply upsetting to me. It didn't fit my belief that innovation is for everyone.

I became convinced that if science and technology were better applied to the challenges of Africa, the tremendous potential of the continent would be unleashed and people could be healthier and fulfill their promise.

Since our first visit many African countries have made striking advances, driven by wise government investments in health and education and agriculture. Incomes have risen. Poverty has fallen. Trade and investment have doubled. Childhood deaths are down. Africa is on the rise.

When a country has the skill and self-confidence to take action against its biggest problems, it makes outsiders eager to be a part of it. That is why Melinda and I are so optimistic about our work on the continent. We see the promise.

 He finishes the article with this paragraph:

Africa's future is in the hands of its people and its leaders. Melinda and I want to work with you to advance your progress. We want to help fund the innovations that can help every person live a life of health and opportunity. For us, this is the most meaningful work we can do. We’re honored that you let us be a part of it.

I love the way he ends this post. The realization that this "is the most meaningful work" that they can be doing. While he made his money creating computers and programs, he is now using his resources to reach out to the poor and find innovations that will change the world for the better. What a great realization to come to.

If I had 5 minutes to interview Mr. Gates, I think I'd ask him about this realization... how his heart came to care for those less fortunate, after he made such a difference in the business world. How he came to realize that caring for these people is the most meaningful work he could be doing. Was there a day when he wanted his life and his resources to make a difference? To count for more? I wonder...

But until I have those 5 minutes to ask him that, I'm going to continue to learn and check out what the Foundation is accomplishing. If nothing else, it encourages me that there are people out there that also want to make a difference... people that are worth billions of dollars and could instead, be spending that money to live for themselves instead of others. People that are researching, writing, and funding programs all over the world to change lives. That's what this blog is for... to highlight those kind of people and to encourage the rest of us, no matter how little our resources, to be doing the same.

Making A Difference on Valentine's Day

How was everyone's Valentine's Day? There are so many mixed feelings about the day and I guess depending on what stage in life you are in, people either love or despise the holiday. I have definitely been on both sides myself and feel for those each year that just wish Valentine’s Day was completely overlooked.

But every once in a while in life, we come across people that focus on all the right things about holidays. It’s so refreshing to see someone not focus on their own met/unmet needs and it reminds the rest of us what celebration truly should be about… which brings me to Jacob Shuart.

Tuesday morning after Valentine’s Day I was listening to the radio as I always do while getting ready for work. The DJ’s mentioned Oklahoma City (it was a national radio station) and of course my ears perked right up! The story that followed explained that an Oklahoma Christian University student had dressed up as Cupid on Valentine’s Day and went around the city singing original songs to raise money. He dressed up in red and white (even white tights!) with a heart shaped guitar, and for $20 serenaded lovers with a song he wrote. 

But what really caught my attention was what Jacob decided to do with the money. For the fifth year in a row, he’s donating the money to the charity called “Give A Goat” and also to friends that are going on missions trips. One of his friends is going to Japan to be a minister and another to Romania to teach English using the Bible through an organization called “Let’s Start Talking”. Last year he raised over $900! Jacob was even called by the Oklahoma governor's wife to sing for her husband on Valentine's Day last year!

The radio DJs actually called Jacob on the air yesterday morning, and it was so neat to hear his heart and the reasons he was singing and raising money on Valentine’s Day. I was so excited as I realized that this college student only goes to school a few miles from me, that I actually sent him an email yesterday and asked if I could write a little blog post about him and the organizations he was supporting. He emailed back, giving me permission and thought this would be a great way to get even more word out about the organizations he is donating to.

Here’s a pic of Jacob I got off one of the news articles around town. Isn’t it so encouraging to hear about ordinary people making a difference every day? It really made me think about the little things I could be using my talents and skills for! 

Next Valentine's Day, remember to call/email Jacob as he is making a difference for those around him!


Hope you had a blessed and love-felt Valentine's Day!

Mission of Hope- Haiti (Part 1)

A great organization to start with is one that changed my life this year in May- Mission of Hope. The OU Women's basketball team decided to take a service trip to the earthquake shattered country of Haiti and I joined up with them and Journey Church to spend a great week there in May 2010. MOH has an amazing history and serves the people of Haiti in amazing ways. I'll definitely highlight these services in the next post(s) but tonight I want to share my personal experience there and why this little organization will always be special to me. Here's the recap/thank you letter I sent out to all the family and friends that supported me on my trip. Enjoy!

Recap on Haiti!

Hopeful in Haiti – 4 Months after the Earthquake

Never have I been SO ready for a missions trip as I was the week of May 15-21, 2010. Knowing the outcome from a week of spending time with the Lord, serving, giving, sacrificing, being blessed, blessing others, being out of your comfort zone, receiving new comfort, being tried and found fulfilled, seeing devastation and reward, being at your highest and your lowest – I knew the raw, deep, exciting experience I was in for. But at the same time, I was ready for this week because I needed some direction, clarification, peace, rest, challenge, truth and most of all - renewed sensitivity. And indeed, as always, I was blown away after an amazing week in Haiti.

Twenty five people made up the largest team I have ever flown with – 7 Oklahoma University women’s basketball players, 2 coaches, 2 scout players, 2 team managers, a team doctor, a mission’s pastor, and 10 volunteers. Because of my previous experience with the pastor and my basketball background, I was privileged to join the team, and from the beginning was excited to meet so many new people and serve alongside them.

The first observance of hope I saw in Haiti, was our plane filled with doctors and volunteer teams from all over the United States. I met strangers interested in what we were doing and excited to go serve as well. A plastic surgeon sat next to me from Houston, TX who had traveled to Haiti before the earthquake several times to perform cleft lip and palate surgeries for people in need. He and a team of doctors had not been back since the earthquake and were anxious to return and help. As I looked around the plane, I saw firsthand many Americans with hearts eager to do whatever possible for those less fortunate.

Upon arrival, the first thing that hit us was the humidity and heat. The airport was quite a site and I could not help but think of all the news articles I had read about the condition it must have been in after the quake hit. We stood in a warehouse of sorts, soaked in sweat, wondering how on earth we were supposed to get our bags. Thankfully, after an hour we found all of our bags and somehow made it to the street where Haitians surrounded us screaming to take our luggage. Mass chaos could be the best way to describe the 2 block walk to a school bus where we were greeted by begging children who only knew how to say “dollar” in English.

While I have seen poverty in third world countries before, nothing prepared me for the tent cities around the airport and along our drive to the mission. Thousands of tents inches apart, with no room for ventilation or privacy. You can only imagine the disease, hunger, and needs living there. These tent cities provided a whole new face to poverty that did not allow me to dismiss the images as if I had already witnessed something similar in other countries. Poverty touched my heart at a new level and it made me ache for those living and existing in it.

About 10 miles outside the capital city, we approached a hillside that served as a mass grave for 250,000 bodies that were killed by the earthquake. Not the sight, but the smell was the sense that made all of us stop in our tracks. We stared in disbelief as we couldn’t even imagine a number that large. Once again, the reality of it brought a new sense of awareness that we were there to serve these people who had suffered through so much.

The following day we ventured into Port au Prince. Again, I was unprepared for the devastation. It seemed in some areas that the earthquake had happened the day before. Piles of debris were on every street corner and while some structures stood intact, the next building would be complete rubble. We were told over 60,000 bodies are still believed to be under the debris unable to be reached or rescued. This served as another reminder that these people needed hope.

We were blessed all week to be accompanied by the Mission of Hope’s director, his daughter, and a local Haitian that survived the earthquake. Rueben had been sitting in class in Port au Prince, when the quake hit. As the ceiling and walls caved inward, he was the only one of several that survived from a 50+ class. Trapped for two hours, he told us of the struggle he had with God as classmates around him lost their lives. He told us of the wreckage and the desperation that followed and how through it all he only became more convinced of God’s love and provision. He encouraged us to realize that life is short and yet so worth living. Rueben challenged us to know exactly what we are living for and why we are here on this Earth. He moved us all by his testimony and it was a privilege to spend all week with him as he translated and shared his heart for a revival in the country of Haiti.

All week we spent the majority of our time at the Mission of Hope. We played with and held the 63 orphans who live on site. We spent time with 1300 school children from neighboring villages while hosting basketball camps and games. We also moved donated medical supplies while assisting the staff with whatever needs they had. The clinic now has a prosthetic lab and one of my favorite things to do was visit with the patients in rehab who had a leg amputated. Most of the girls were my age and were the happiest people I’ve ever met. I couldn’t help but want to be around them and although we couldn’t speak the same language, we were still able to communicate and have a great time. They taught me a little Creole and I taught them some English. One of the girls was pregnant with her second baby and was about 6 months along. I sat there and couldn’t imagine all that she had been through. I was amazed that she was so thankful and happy to be there, sitting in a 100 degree tent, waiting to get an artificial leg. I think that is what drew me to them… the wonder of their experience and their happiness through it all. God was reflected through them and it was such a blessing for me to spend time with them. One day I got to play “Santa” and take some extra donations around to each of the girls in the prosthetic lab. I gave each of them 10 bars of motel size soap, and the entire experience seemed unreal as I received the most sincere thank yous. This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip that will forever stay with me.

After seeing the poverty and devastation in Haiti, I can honestly say that I left the country HOPEFUL- the most hopeful I have ever felt after ending such a trip. The people of Haiti are desperate for revival and it is evident on their eager faces which have experienced so much turmoil. Furthermore, it seems the earthquake has also been somewhat of a blessing in disguise- as an overwhelming amount of attention, volunteers, and funds have been donated to the country. People are waking up to the needs in Haiti and change is on its way. Leaving the country, I knew without a doubt that leaders were rising up with a vision and dream for the future that the Haitians also believed in and wanted themselves. Our team was so blessed to be a part of this vision, if only for a week. It was truly a great feeling to be excited for the future for these wonderful people!

All in all, the trip was unforgettable and I really valued getting to spend it with the group. Most of the OU girls had never been on such a trip, and watching them give their hearts away while being moved and impacted was such a treasure. We were all able to become great friends through the experience and I’m excited to get OU tickets this season and watch while they repeat a Final Four trip!

Thank you to every single one of you who offered encouragement for this trip! I could not have done it without the support of my family and friends who lifted us up in prayer and gave financially so this trip could be possible. Some of you were just as excited as I was for the trip and I have had several people tell me that they would love to go out and do the same soon. What a blessing! Again, thank you so much for making this trip happen! Trips like these continue to shape me as a person and help me realize how truly blessed I am. And with this blessing, I feel called to give and serve. Thank you for making that possible.

Another Segment: Companies that are making a difference!

Another regular segment I want to share here on this blog will emphasize influential organizations around the world that are making a difference. There are so many people all over the planet that have amazing dreams and ambitions who are actively making a difference for those with many types of needs. And while these organizations have the heart to make an impact for others, they often need a voice/platform to share what they are doing and also the funds to make their ambitions possible. I hope to meet both of those needs on this blog: both highlighting their work and also funding their dreams.

While I’m just an average girl with a small voice and a little money, I’ve dreamed about how I can make a difference and partner with these organizations. I love reading and researching companies that are reaching out to those in need and I often find myself sharing my findings with those around me: “Did you know company ABC is providing this mother a new opportunity to provide for her kids?” or “Have you heard about that precious little boy that had his wish to go to Disney World granted the other day?” And before I realize it, this researching and reading not only changes my outlook on this world and the great people in it, but it also informs those around me and they want to jump in and contribute. Therefore this blog and public platform has become a perfect way for me to not only enjoy my hobby and feed my enthusiasm, but to also inform those who are interested in hearing great stories about average people making extraordinary contributions.

So each month I’ll share what organizations all over the world are achieving. By highlighting their services and sharing their stories, I hope that this blog will serve as a voice for their accomplishments. And as far as the funding goes, I want to do my part. Each month, I’m going to give $100 to an organization that I highlight here on the blog. I’ll bring a few different people/orgs to the table and each month, I want you as readers to help me decide who to give to. Hopefully this will give you a chance to get involved vocally –but it’ll also provide a way for you to get involved financially too. Maybe one of these companies will just really touch your heart and giving financially will be a way for you to partner with them. It also provides a way for me personally to get behind the companies and support them not only vocally but financially too!

I can’t wait to start! Looks like we may have a snow day again here tomorrow so I’ll have some time to post and share about some great companies that have already touched my heart with their accomplishments. And as always, please send me an email by clicking on CONTACT ME or leave a comment with organizations/people in your community that are making a difference.

I'd love to hear from you! Thanks again for coming along for the journey!

Please meet MAVIS

One of the first things I knew I wanted to do with this blog is support a Compassion child. My sister and parents have been faithfully supporting two children for the last couple years and every time I see their letters from their kids, it always pulls at my heart strings.

Compassion is a great organization that I have actually had the opportunity to tour in my home state of CO. Right before graduating college, I even thought that God may be leading me to work in their financial department. So, one January morning in 2008, I interviewed, toured, and applied at Compassion. While God obviously had different plans for my future, I’ll never forget that day and the amazement I had for the heart of Compassion. I fell in love with their mission, the children’s faces on every wall throughout the campus, and the letter-writing room where the letters are received from donors and children. We were even told that Compassion employees are able to visit their sponsored children every 2 years… and that alone made me want to work for such a great organization!

One of the best parts of sponsoring a Compassion child is the letter writing. When my grandparents were missionaries in Madagascar years ago, my Grandma found a pen pal for me there. (Gosh, I know I have those letters somewhere - makes me want to fly to CO and search for them!) I was ten years old and loved the thought of a girl my age across the world sharing her life with me! We wrote for months and thinking back, it was a really wonderful experience and maybe even influenced my heart for Africa. How amazing would it be to finally meet her face to face one day?

Back to Compassion- I went to their website today and clicked on “sponsor a child”. With a few searches, I found the sweetest looking little 5 year old girl who lives in Ghana. Of course, having visited Ghana myself, this just makes it so much more personal to have stepped on the same ground she calls home. I found out that she lives in a large costal town and it brought back memories of the costal town we visited when we toured the Cape Coast Castle. That story is for another day, but here are some pictures of the costal town we visited outside the castle:

Mavis was born October 31, 2005, (I wonder if they celebrate Halloween there?) and lives with her parents and two siblings. Here are some other pieces of information Compassion provided:

Personal and Family Information:

Mavis lives with her father and her mother. She is responsible for running errands. Her father is sometimes employed and her mother is sometimes employed. There are 3 children in the family.

Playing with dolls and playing group games are Mavis's favorite activities. In kindergarten her performance is average and she also regularly attends church activities and Bible class.

Mavis, 5 years old

I can’t wait to get to know this little girl better! Within 15 days I’ll receive a packet in the mail with more information about Mavis and all the details I need to start communicating with her. For only $38 a month, I hope that this relationship will make a lasting impact on this little girl’s life and will change my heart and perspectives at the same time. Every month, I’ll post an update on Mavis and hopefully get to post our letters as well. I’d love for this little girl to change your heart too! What a blessing to have the financial resources to contribute like this. I can’t wait to get started!

If you would like to sponsor a child, please visit Compassion’s website.

“When you sponsor a child, you are linked with one particular child who will know your name, write to you, and treasure the thought that you care. He or she will pray for you often and write to you.”

A Lasting Impact for Others

I wrote this post last night after a GOOD Monday :).....

Today I woke up dreading another Monday. Things to do at work, meetings to attend and many demands to meet. I rolled out of bed, asking God to change my attitude and told Him I was giving the day to Him instead. And how crazy that only 5 minutes later, my day was changed. A text message at 7 AM from a friend asked that I attend a funeral service for her 81 year old father. A million thoughts went through my head before I realized that that was exactly where I needed to be at 11 AM, only 4 hours later.

So 4 hours later I sat in a pew in a gorgeous church and heard a minister speak about this man’s life. How he brought joy and fun to those around him. I couldn’t sit there without thinking what my own funeral would be like. What would be said about me and how I affected those around me on a DAILY basis? Did my life make a lasting difference? Did I accomplish the purposes that God has for me here?

It’s amazing that now tonight, I sit here thinking those questions through again. I want to make sure my life counts for something. It’s so easy to let the world grind us down. So easy to get up with a bad attitude, dreading the things we have to do that day or that week. But when we stop and realize that life is fleeting and that we all only have a limited amount of days on this Earth to glorify God and make much of Him, it totally changes our perspective, doesn’t it?

A huge part of this blog is the call I feel upon my life to DO SOMETHING. I’ve been reading so many amazing stories of people that are doing something- something for the poor, for the hurting, for the lonely and lost.. and I feel that same tug to do the same. I pray that this blog, these ideas, and these stories would testify about those people that are out there making their life count- and not just count for themselves but making a lasting impact for others.