I sat behind a friend today in church. I thought she was taking notes and commented about it. She said, "Actually, I'm writing a pen pal." With more questions, I found out the pen pal is an orphan in a remote part of Russia and that she writes, not one, but many orphans, mostly in St. Petersburg (where she is from.) She found out about them from a program called Invisible Children. I asked what she wrote about and she said, "squirrels in her yard, animals she saw when she visited the zoo... they are in a small village and anything is very interesting to them. They are happy to receive a letter."When she was last in St. Petersburg, she went to visit some of her pen pals. She brought toys but they weren't nearly as excited about the toys as a toothbrush she had brought. "Toothbrush! Toothbrush!" She imitated them wide-eyed and smiling.
Initially she wanted to be part of Big Brother, Big Sister and went to a community meeting but for some reason or the other they didn't need people (their huge loss) and she was searching online and found Invisible Children.
Humbling, right?
How many people are pro-actively looking for ways to contribute to our local or global community? I for one haven't been.
But in the 24 hours since I've heard about it...it really got me thinking. Maybe this is one of the reasons that we have a hard time building our family--so that we will be pushed and stretched to look outwards? I thought about the children a lot while on my mission. Maybe it was planting a seed so that now we start generating ideas and figure out a way to help? Maybe it's one of the things we should be doing in our life?
My thankful list today is simple:
1. two healthy children (They have their vision, hearing, strong hearts & brains & mobility. We are so lucky.)
2. a husband who loves me and stands by me and still thinks I'm beautiful & good even when I'm frumpy, grumpy & selfish
3. enough and surplus of life's basics (comfortable shelter, clean water, medicine, grocery stores stocked with endless, safe, delicious food)
3 comments:
I'd have to agree with ALL your thankful things. :) And that's such a good idea, to have pen pals like that. :)
This girl sounds like a wonderful person. She picked a good charity. It ranks very high in percentage of money that goes to the actual cause. I love to check out the charities on charitynavigator.com So many touch my heart and then I get mad when I find out how little get to the need. I am glad she found a good way to give.
Bradshaw and his drum sticks!!! I still can't believe one of his evil aunties broke one!!!!
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