Today, I wrote 1 Peter 5:7 on a note card, along with a little encouraging note and waited.  Ali has her SAT test tomorrow, so I thought the anxiety that is common with those sorts of tests was a perfect excuse to give an encouraging Bible verse.  I was going to leave a verse on a car windshield, but encouraging my friend was more important.

After Ali was asleep, I sneaked downstairs and put the encouraging note right on the doorstep.  Soooooo I hope she finds it.  We'll see!  :)

Ali had to work until late last night, so she'll be fulfilling today's challenge tomorrow.

To be honest, I didn't think that anyone but me would participate in today's challenge since it involved sacrificing money, which is a valuable resource for teens like me, perhaps even more valuable than kindness at times.  However, most of my friends did end up donating five dollars to a charity, which totally made my day. 

I donated my five dollars to a mosquito net fund I started after I returned home from Kenya, Africa.  Another friend of mine donated five dollars to that fund as well, so together, we gave enough money to purchase a mosquito net for someone in Africa.  Exciting! 

Some people donated to our school's Invisible Children Schools for Schools fund.  I loved seeing my peers step up and sacrifice their own money to help somebody else.  It brings a smile to my face. :)

What charity did you give your $5 to?

Day 30: A motto or philosophy

A philosophy of mine is something I took from the Bible verse James 1:27.

Does this not put your original perceptions of religion and Christianity and faith to shame?  What does God see as pure and faultless?  Helping the women and children who are in need.
 

Day 26: A childhood memory

I have a memory of attending a church service with my family when I was approximately six years old.  A man from World Vision came and talked about the children living in poverty around the world and how to sponsor children.  This was one of the first times I distinctly remember feeling stricken with empathy for the children who live in third world countries. 

As we left the sanctuary that day and I was sent to Sunday School, I pleaded and pleaded with my mother to allow our family to sponsor a child.  At first, she told me no -at least not for a while, until our family discussed the idea- but I didn't want to leave the church until she sponsored a child.

We decided to sponsor a little girl from India named Bornali Deka.  She was my age.  We've sponsored her ever since. 

This month, Bornali will be turning eighteen and the sponsorship will end.  It's very sad for me, because this is the little girl who I have written letters to, received pictures of, and watched grow up over the last twelve years.

We now sponsor three other children: Lavin, David, and Sanya, all from Kenya, Africa, and all children I have met before. 

I enjoy looking back on distinctive memories like the one of me begging my mom to sponsor a child, because I can see that even then, God had a plan for me to work with underprivileged and needy children.  He has always known my heart, even when I have not.

If you are reading this right now and you feel impacted by this story or by the photograph of Bornali Deka, feel free to go to the World Vision or Christian Relief Fund websites and choose a child to sponsor.  You cannot truly grasp the impact that you will make on the lives of these children until you see the change for yourself.
 

Day 23: A way in which you want to be remembered

I want to be remembered for my compassion.  I have always felt a sense of compassion for people: for the poor, for the hungry, for the unloved, for the forgotten. 

I feel compassion for the kids who are unloved and neglected by their own parents.

I feel compassion for the people who go to bed hungry each night because they have no food.

I feel compassion for those who have never heard the Name of Jesus Christ.

I feel compassion for the children who die each year, forgotten and invisible: the aborted.

I feel compassion for the women who believe that they are not good enough to succeed.

I feel compassion for the weak. 

I believe that God has naturally gifted each person's personality with something that helps them to relate to or help others.  Perhaps you feel a great sense of generosity.  Perhaps you are perceptive of emotions.  Perhaps you are very forgiving.  Perhaps you are a generally happy person, even when things are difficult.  Perhaps you have an underlying sense of hope in everything that you do.

I feel compassion for so many, but I want to be remembered for what I do about it in Christ's Name. 
 

Picture your home in your mind.  Count how many rooms are in your house.  When it rains, do you have somewhere to keep you dry?  Are you protected from the cold during the winter and the heat during the summer?  Even if your home is small and needs repair, you are blessed.  There are more than 100 million people who are homeless around the globe and many people who have a home at all are living in devastatingly poor conditions. 

According to UNICEF, one in three children lives without adequate shelter.  The World Bank Key Data and Statistics states that a quarter of the population lives without electricity.  "Electricity isn't that big of a deal," you may be thinking.

Think again.

I'm going to give you a small challenge.  For twenty-four hours, I want you to go without electricity.  That means no heating, lighting, or air conditioning.  No stoves, microwaves or electric can openers.  Any food that comes out of the refrigerator or freezer is off limits.  No warm water, television, or video games.  If your plumbing system runs on electricity, then say goodbye to that as well.  Are you starting to get the idea? 

Let me tell you a true story.  I once knew a little girl who lived in the poor area of my city.  Let's call her "Mary."  Mary's family was very poor and they had no money to pay the electric bill, so they relied on candles to provide lighting and warmth.  One night in November, the family was very cold, so they decided to leave their candles lit through the night to try and heat up their home.  Somehow a candle tipped over and a fire was started in the middle of the night.  It spread rapidly before anyone in the family even woke up.  Everyone managed to escape... except for one person.  Mary was trapped inside her burning house.

Little Mary died in the flames of her home on November 19, 2008.  She was twelve years old.  This story happened in modern day America. 

Lack of proper shelter can be dangerous.  No child deserves to live in a one room shack with twelve other people.  No child deserves to live in a house made of cardboard and tin.  No child deserves to live in a shelter that lets in rain and deadly mosquitoes.  No child deserves to suffer from sweltering heat or frigid cold in their own homes.  But they do.

What can you do to help?  "Well, I sure can't buy someone a house or pay for their electricity bill," you may be thinking.  "There is nothing I can do."  I can think of a few things.

Donate to nonprofit organizations who build homes.  Obviously, Habitat for Humanity is a great choice.  You can donate on their website.  From Houses to Homes is a nonprofit organization that focuses on building homes for the impoverished people of Guatemala.  The Fuller Center for Housing is another great nonprofit organization that focuses on building homes for the needy.  With this organization, you can also sponsor a home, similar to sponsoring a child.  For all of you young people like me, there is an organization called YouthBuild that helps teens reach out to their communities and build houses.
 
Volunteer your time.  Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organization that helps provide homes for the needy.  If you live near a college or university, then there is probably a Habitat for Humanity group on campus that you could join.  YouthBuild is another great option.  You can also search around amongst the local ministries, as there are often many people who arrange for a house to be built or remodeled for a needy family.
 
Open your home.  You may know a college student or an elderly person or a newly divorced woman who is struggling to keep from losing their house.  Pray about this decision, but if you have an open room, then offer it to your friend for a couple of months.  Give someone a break.  In the Bible, Priscilla often opened her home for Paul.  You can share Jesus through such a giving act. 
 
Pray for those who are without homes.  Make a note to say a prayer at least once a day for the 100 million homeless and all of those who are suffering with an inadequate home.  Ask God to help them find proper shelter for the night.  When it is pouring rain or snowing outside, say a prayer for those who are sleeping outside.

Appreciate your home.  You may be tired of the cramped space of your bedroom or the leaky spot on your ceiling or the lousy air conditioning system, but remember to appreciate what God has blessed you with because there are many people who have less.  Instead of complaining about how small or ramshackle your house has become, say a prayer of thanks that you even have a home.

Try to conserve energy.  When you're leaving a room, turn off the lights.  Don't take two hour showers.  Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.  Don't leave on the sprinklers till your back yard floods.  Respect the gift that you do have and don't waste. 

What do you think?  How do you help those without homes?  Leave your comments below.
I take credit for the pictures used today. 

Clean water is necessary for proper sanitation and survival.  How would you like to drink and bathe in muddy water that has been infected with parasites and diseases?  If I handed you a glass filled with muck and asked you to drink it, how would you respond?  "That's gross and humane.  I would never even touch that water," you might say, offended that anyone would offer you such a disgusting drink.

The truth is that water like this is the only thing that many people have.

Imagine having to bathe in water that cattle have defecated in and mosquitoes and vermin have infested.  Imagine if your parents (or if you're a parent, YOU) provided water brown with filth for your family to drink.  No parent should be forced dangerously unclean water to their children, but many have no choice. 

The 2006 United Nations Development Report states that 1.1 billion people in the world have inadequate access to water and 2.6 billion people lack basic sanitation.  Nearly 2 billion people die each year from water related diseases and 90% are under the age of five.  Clean water is such a critical need that it seems almost incomprehensible that people are going without it.  Two in three people who lack access to clean water live on less than two dollars a day, and one in three people who lack access to clean water lives on less than one dollar a day.  This may seem obvious, but this means that the main reason that people do not have water is because they live in extreme poverty.  Poverty is no excuse for people to be forced to live without clean water and sanitation. 

The next time you take a thirty minute shower- the next time you flush a toilet or wash your hands- remember that one in face children has no access to clean water at all.

What do you plan on doing about it?  Are you unsure?  Let me give you some suggestions.

• Donate to organizations that are focused on providing clean water to those who have none.  I'm about to give you a ton of different nonprofits to choose from.  Check out Blood:Water Mission, Global Water, charity:water, Clean Water Action, Healing Waters International, Water Aid, Water for People, Global Water Challenge, Water 1st, Thirst Relief, WSUP (Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor), water.org, Water Advocates, and Water for the Ages.  These amazing people have researched and are currently working hard to solve the water crisis around the world. 
  
• When you purchase water bottles, think about choosing Ethos Water.  This water manufacturer (created by Starbucks) donates five cents to the Ethos Water Foundation.  So far, through this program, Starbucks has been able to grant 6.2 million dollars to the Ethos Water Foundation, providing water and sanitation to approximately 420,000 people in the last five years.
  
• This is a ways away, but celebrate World Water Day on March 22, 2011.  The World Water Day was designated by the United Nations in 1992 to help raise awareness to the water crisis around the world. 
  
• Start a group with your church, school, friends, or family to create a fundraiser to donate to some of these organizations.
  
• Post on your Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, etc. about the need of water.  Post stats, links to some of these websites... help raise awareness amongst your friends and colleagues about the water crisis. 
  
• Raise awareness and education about the international water crisis in daily conversation.
  
• Write letters to elected officials encouraging them to fight to help end the water crisis.
  
• Don't waste your water.  Don't drag out your showers or baths.  Don't leave on your garden hose or sprinklers for too long.  Shut off the sink faucet when you're brushing your teeth.  Water is such a valuable resource.  Don't let yourself waste it. 
  

I take credit for the pictures used in today's article.  Leave your comments... I'd like to know what you think about this subject.

As we learned last Tuesday, poverty and hunger are both huge issues in the world right now.  An unfortunate result of poverty is the lack of a decent education in third world countries.  Education is extremely important.  What decent job can you get without at least a high school education?  You can't become a doctor, a political figure, a lawyer, a dentist, a teacher, or a scientist without a college degree.  Many people believe that you can't go far in life at all without a college degree.  It can be difficult as a student in a wealthy country to make it through twelfth grade and get your diploma.  Imagine trying to get a good education as a child in a third world country. 

Your text books are old and worn or nonexistent.  You often have to skip school for weeks at a time to help your family earn money or to care for a sick family member.  In order to attend class, you must have a proper uniform and school shoes and these things cost money that you don't have.  When you can manage to go to school, you have to get up early and walk for blocks through dangerous streets in order to make it on time, and then you have to walk all the way back home, often after dark.  Your empty stomach makes it hard to concentrate on your schoolwork.  You're often sick because the water you drink at home is unsanitary and filled with parasites.  You sit on hard wooden benches each day and write on wrinkled, brown paper.  Sometimes your hands become too swollen to write because chiggers, mosquitoes, and horseflies won't stop biting your fingers.  It's hard to achieve good scores on the important tests that allow you to graduate to the next grade level because your teacher didn't even make it to eighth grade.  In the early morning, late evening, and rainy days, class has to come to a pause because your school room doesn't have electricity and nobody can see well enough to write or read in the dark room.  You hear stories about rich Americans and Europeans who hate going to school and you wonder why they think they have it so bad.

The United States literacy rate is currently at 99% for people over the age of fifteen.  In third world countries, a vast majority of people are illiterate.  Take Burkina Faso, for example.  The literacy rate for this African country is currently at an astonishingly low 23.6%.  We could be doing so much more to prevent this.  According to the Millennium Development Goals Report, more than seventy-two million children of primary school age did not attend school in 2005.  The Millennium Development Goals Report considered these numbers to be a huge improvement, but I take it to mean that there are still seventy-two million children around the world who are not getting any education whatsoever. 

These children have the potential to become significant leaders of their country.  They could become great doctors who find cures for cancer and AIDS.  They could become teachers who help to bring up the literacy rates in their countries.  They could become powerful individuals who help make the world a better place.  Unfortunately, these children will never be given the chance to develop and use these abilities. 

If it is true that it is nearly impossible to be truly successful without an education, then this is exactly what our next generation is going to have... which means that this will become a cycle, and hunger, illiteracy, and extreme poverty will hit these third world countries just as hard as before. 

What can you do to improve these devastating statistics? 

• Sponsor a child.  Your sponsorship will go to provide an education- even through college or vocational school- for these poverty-stricken kids.  Your thirty dollars a month can help to change the world, simply by improving the life of a forgotten child with so much potential.  Try World Vision or Christian Relief Fund. 
  
• Recycle your old books and textbooks.  Many organizations can use your books to give to kids and schools in third world countries that can't afford to purchase their own.  This means that those old, trashy books that you were going to throw away can help teach someone to read.  Invisible Children has a program called Schools for Schools where you can donate your school's text books to give to poor schools in Uganda, Africa. 
  
• Write letters to your local senators and congressmen.  Write letters to the president, for that matter.  Education is so important.  Your country could be doing so much more to improve the standards of education throughout the world.  Your letters can help make a difference.  
• Pray.  Ask God to provide new opportunities for these children to get a much-needed education.  Ask Him to give you a heart for the needy and a will to fight against poverty.

Whatever you do, please remember to appreciate your education.  I'm a high school student.  I realize that working hard and getting up early for school every single day can seem monotonous, tiring, and even pointless at times, but when you start to feel frustrated with your school, remember how much kids who don't have an education long to be in your shoes... figuratively and literally.  Use your education to help make a difference in the world.  Don't take your blessings for granted.

Do you have any opinions about this subject?  Comment below.  I take the credit for the pictures used in today's article. 

What did you eat today?  I can remember if I think hard enough.  Can you remember what you ate yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Can you remember what you ate last week?  Sometimes when I try to look back and recall what I ate a few hours before, the answer completely eludes me.  Have you ever done this?

There are currently millions of people around the world who also can't remember what they last had to eat, but it isn't because they didn't take their meal into enough account to record it within their short term memories.  Many people cannot remember the last thing they ate because they last ate so long ago. 

As you probably know already, food is necessary for survival.  If you go without eating for even a few days, your body will react with natural consequences.  When your body does not have enough nutrients, it begins to go into survival mode.  You start to consume fat cells stored in your body.  When your fat cells are gone, your body turns to muscle tissue and then to internal organs.  Your heart is a muscle, so many people who are malnourished die from heart failure.  Eventually, your body shuts down completely because there are no nutrients left and you die. 

You will die within three days with no water, but it can take more than three months to die from lack of food.  Starvation is a very slow, painful, and terrible process, one that no child should ever have to endure. 

Did you know that over 800 million people in third world countries are suffering from severe malnutrition?  However, starvation is not only limited to third world countries.  According to the US Department of Agriculture, 2002, thirty-three million Americans live in households that do not have an adequate food supply.  In 1998, Europe and the United States spend more than $17 billion on pet food, while only $13 billion was used to provide basic health care and nutrition for people lost in poverty.  When I see these statistics, it makes me wonder if we care more about our dogs and cats and hamsters than we care about little children who have absolutely nothing to eat. 

Obviously, hunger is an issue throughout the world.  According to the World Health Organization, out of the ten most common causes of death, starvation wins at 36%.  The second most common cause of death in the world is heart disease, at 7.2%.  There are so many starving people that are dying without knowing Jesus.  What do you plan to do about that?  If you're struggling to think of ways that you can help the hungry, keep reading for some ideas.

• In your neighborhood and surrounding community: There may be someone living close by- or even on your street- who is going hungry.  If you personally know of someone who is struggling with money, there are many things you can do to lend a hand.  You can invite them over to dinner or bring them meals and even leftovers.  Help them out in simple ways, such as offering to babysit for free (if there are kids in the family), mowing their lawn, or leaving anonymous gifts of clothes, gas cards, and blankets.  More than anything, invite your neighbor to go to church with you and frequently let them know that you're praying for them.  Everyone could use a prayer.
• In your city: If you knew how many people from your city were currently going hungry, you might think twice before throwing away your leftovers.  Consider donating canned food or money to your local food bank.  If you can't spare any of these things, then volunteer your time.  Serve meals at a homeless shelter one Saturday out of the month. 
  
• In your country: There are hungry people in every city.  Donate to organizations such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, or Angel Tree.  There are many different places where you can donate used food, clothes, and toys to children (and adults) around your country who need them.  Ask around at your church and see if you can plan a mission trip to a big city and volunteer your time to serve the needy in larger inner city communities. 
  
• In your world: There are many, many nonprofit organizations focused on providing food for the hungry.  Donate money.  Start a fundraiser to raise money that you can donate.  Sponsor a child with Christian Relief Fund or World Vision.  Go on a missions trip to a third world country and see poverty with your own eyes. 
  

There are so many ways to serve the hungry, but more than anything, you need to pray.  Pray for your needy neighbors.  Pray for the hungry in your community.  Pray for the starving people around the world.  While prayer does not substitute actions, it is still important.  God hears your prayers.

When you eat, don't take your meal for granted.  Thank God with a genuine heart for giving you plenty of food.  Try not to waste what you don't eat.  Appreciate what you are eating, even if it isn't your favorite.  There are so many people across the globe who would be extremely grateful to have your discarded food.

This may seem like a stretch, but one day, try fasting out of solidarity for the needy.  Donate the money that you would have spent on food to your local food bank or to a global relief program.  During meal time, instead of eating, pray for those who are hungry. 

More than 80% of all people survive on less than ten dollars a day.  How much have you spent today?  Even if you are struggling financially right now, remember that God has blessed you so much compared to the majority of the world.  Your something is better than their nothing.

You may be having an awful day right now.  You may be struggling with something difficult in your life, be it finances or something else.  When somebody asks you, "Hey, how are you doing today?" instead of miserably thinking, "Today was  horrible!" try to remember this:  You're doing better than you think you are. 

Have a great rest of your day.

How do you plan to help fight to end poverty?  Leave your comments below.
Credit for the pictures used in this article go here, here, and here.

What I've done is probably going to cause a lot of controversy amongst my readers.  Some of you guys may be shocked and angered.  You may call me a hypocrite, and you may say that what I've done is sacrilegious and blasphemous.  On the other hand, I think that a lot of you will be positive about what I have done, and you may even want to do this yourself. 

What I've done is cut up a Bible. 

It was an old King James Bible I got when I was about ten years old.  It's been sitting on my shelf for years, gathering dust.  I prefer the New International Version and I have a newer Bible that I read each day instead of my older Bible.

Now before you start to feel indignant, I would like you to stay seated and keep reading what I have to say.  I did not cut up my Bible because I was angry with God or because I disagreed with things that the Bible has to say.  No, the reason I cut up my Bible was to make a point. 

I cut out every verse in the Bible that has to do with poverty and helping the needy.  The reason why I did this was partially to prove to myself exactly how much importance that God places on serving the less fortunate.  I also did this so that I could have tangible and physical evidence to show people and be able to honestly say, "Look at what our Bible is, at what our faith is, without us serving the poor and the destitute." 

I suspected that there would be many sections chopped out of the Bible after this experiment- big holes eradicated from God'sWord- but I was shocked to discover what was left of my Bible after I had removed the verses about helping the poor and the needy.  My Bible was completely tattered.  There was little left of its pages.  It was unreadable, unusable. 

When Christians do not serve the needy, we are not putting into practice what the Bible so strongly emphasizes that we need to do.  We are ignoring these huge sections of God's Word when we should be obeying them with every fabric of our lives.   

The Christian church today does not put nearly enough emphasis into service .  Don't get me wrong- some churches are focused on helping the needy in their communities and around the world, but most churches are more focused on other things.  These things are also important, but Christians too often overlook the needs of so many people across the globe, and that gives Christ a bad name.  There are people dying of hunger, thirst, lack of medical care, and poor sanitary conditions every single day.  There are so many people who are living without shoes or a home and who are going through life without an education.  This is a huge problem. 

As children of God, we should be following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, the One who said, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me."  (Matthew 25:40, TNIV)  Service was so important to Jesus, and this is reflected throughout the Bible, in the New and Old Testaments. 

What makes me cringe is the fact that there are so many more secular efforts to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless than there are Christian efforts.  Why do the big rock stars who are into drugs and sex and worldly things do more for the poor than we as Christians- who are supposed to do what Jesus did and live how He lived on earth- do for the poor?  This puts Christians in a bad light when people think to themselves, "I'm doing more to help the hungry than the people who love God do.  Why would I want to be like them?"  This needs to change right now.

Over the next several weeks I am going to be expanding on this vitally important issue.  I am going to be talking about the greatest needs of the world today in regards to poverty.  I will also talk about what you can do as a Christian, right now, in your community and around the world.  Don't allow your faith in Jesus to be tattered and torn like my Bible because of the fact that you ignore one of His most important commands: to help those who are in need. 

What do you think about this topic?  Do you believe that the church has been greatly apathetic in regards to helping the poverty-stricken people throughout the world?  What do you think about my physical evidence (the ripped Bible)?  What do you plan to do to serve the needy in your community?
 
 

First off, I'd like to say... I'm sorry!  I haven't written more than one or two entries a week for the past month or so, and I really need to get my act back together and start writing.  My life has been extremely busy lately, but I am determined to get a grip.  I need to write more.  I need to post more. 

Another thing, if you want a small, mostly unheard of Christian agency to support, I would like to strongly recommend Reece's Rainbow.  It is an organization that helps raise grants to assist families that want to adopt children with physical and mental capabilities.  If you cannot afford to financially sponsor Reece's Rainbow, then you can also become a Prayer Warrior.  They will hook you up with a picture of a child and some information, and your duty is to pray over this child every day until they are adopted and given a permanent home. 

Who has been watching American Idol lately?  Lacey Brown is from my city, so check her out.  She had a slightly rocky song this week, but I'm still hoping to see her next week. 

Feel free to send me an email at emilytheperson@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate for Haiti relief, here is a list of needed items provided by the organization, Christian Relief Fund:

• Aspirin, Ibuprofen, other pain killers/medicine
• Antibiotic cremes
• Cold packs
• Gauze
• Sutures
• Wheel chairs
• Surgical/Wound Care Packs
• Orthopedic supplies
• Latex gloves
• Band-Aids
• Thermometers
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Scissors
• Multi-Vitamins
• Tents
• Blankets
• New, small toys
• Diapers
• Baby food
• Powdered formula
• Insect repellent
• Mosquito nets

You can drop items off at Christian Relief Fund any time between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM at:

Christian Relief Fund
1501 SW 58th Avenue
Amarillo, TX 79110

For more information, you can go to their website.

I would definitely encourage you to support what they are doing in Haiti.  They are bringing in water purifiers, food, and medical care for the people on a daily basis, while many other relief programs are having trouble bringing help to the people.  CRF has been working with the Haitians for quite a while before this disaster, and they are spreading God's love to these people during this hard time.

This was the first official week of the new City Church after-school program.  Everything is much more organized and polished, and I am very excited about what God is going to do with this program.  I am going to be teaching the nine and ten year old group of the Green team (aka the cool team).  We start out with a meal and then praise and worship time, and during this part of the evening, the leaders are basically in charge of everybody. 

There was one little girl named "Sarah" who was around four or five years old.  She wore a shirt that hung loosely on her short frame... clothes that were obviously too big for her.  She later told me that they were her sister's.  Her blond hair was tangled and greasy.  Pretty blue eyes shone beneath dirt that caked her rosy cheeks.  Sarah was covered in grime.  I don't even know what else to call it.  Every square inch of visible skin on that little girl's body was brown with grime.  I doubt that she has had a bath since the new year began.  

Sarah was an undeniably beautiful little girl... but she did not look like I did when I was her age.

Time to walk down memory lane.



See that picture?  I think I was around four or five years old there.  I was playing in a laundry basket with my younger sister.  Notice how my clothes fit... how I'm clean... how I'm smiling openly.  These are all ways that I was different from little Sarah.

Sarah used her brown fingers quite often when she ate her dinner, and I watched her with hidden dismay.  This child was so dirty... one of the dirtiest children I've seen in a long time, and so right before she went to the big sanctuary to have worship and orientation, I asked her to come into the bathroom with me.  She watched my every move with big eyes, obviously hesitant about whatever we were going to do.

"I'm a pretty messy eater," I said with a sheepish grin.  "Would you like to help me wash my hands?  We could do it together."

The uncomfortable look faded from Sarah's face and she nodded eagerly, obviously feeling important now that she had been given a mission.  I set the small girl on the bathroom counter so that she could reach the faucet, and then poured the foam soap into her hands.  They were so dirty.  We scrubbed and scrubbed each others' hands until they were both hidden from the soap suds, and then we rinsed them off in the sink until they were clean.  When we were finished, the white porcelain was stained brown.  Brown.  From a little girl's tiny fingers. 

After this, we washed our faces.  Even Sarah's little nose was smudged with the grime.  I wanted to turn away and cry by the time I was finished.  Actually, more than anything in the world, I wanted to give this little girl a bath and wash the rest of her until she was completely clean. 

While we were cleaning up, Sarah began to tell me in her babyish voice about how her sister didn't like her.  "That's crazy," I told her, "because I like you a lot."

"You do?"  She looked astonished.

I let an equally astonished expression spread over my face.  "Why, of course I do!  You're my friend!"

"I'm your friend?"  A small, nervous smile began to twitch at the corners of Sarah's mouth.

I pretended to be shocked.  "Of course you are.  I'm yours, aren't I?" 

"Yes.  You're my friend.  You're my friend," Sarah repeated over and over, as if she couldn't believe the possibility that someone like me would be friends with her. 

"And you're my friend.  You're my beautiful, beautiful friend," I declared.

"Your friend," Sarah whispered.  Awe shone in her blue eyes.  And then, without an ounce of hesitation, she gave me a huge smile and leaped into my arms, wrapping her own skinny arms around my neck and burying her face in my shoulder.  She was dirty, she was small, she didn't smell great, she probably had lice... she had a life harder than I could imagine.  Many people would have seen her walking down the sidewalk and felt repulsed...  They may have crossed to the other side of the street to avoid contact with this filthy little girl.

I could have done the same thing.  But Jesus opened my eyes, and I was able to look past the dirt and the grime and the neglect.  I saw a little girl who was beautiful from the inside-out.  I saw a child that God had made... I saw a child with a special purpose for her life.  I saw a child that Jesus cried over, that He cared about, that He died for...  I saw my friend. 

I knew that Jesus would have cradled this little girl in his lap and whispered words of love into her ear until she couldn't ever stop smiling. 

So I held her.   

School starts back on Tuesday the fifth after a too-short Christmas break.  I already am dreading the thought of returning to the class room.  Getting up early, studying for tests in every class, stressing out about my future, keeping a tight schedule with no free time... that just isn't my cup of tea, figuratively speaking. 

Guilty for my bitter thoughts, I keep telling myself that there are children all over the world who long to go to school.  And there are children all over the world who get up at three or four in the morning to walk hours in the darkness, through the dangerous streets, to go to a school with no electricity, dirt floors, and a low-standard education.  And yet they are thankful that they have the privilege of going to school. 

When I think of this, I feel guilty that I dislike school.  I try to enjoy it for the sake of the children who don't have the same opportunities that I do.  In a way, I feel like if I make the most of my education, and strive in the best way that I can to make the best of my life, then maybe I can pay it forward and provide a better world for those who never got the same chances as I did.  That's why I started sponsoring a child in Africa with my allowance when I was in my freshman year of high school.  The thought that I could provide another human being, another child, with everything I have that I take for granted (and shouldn't take for granted), was something that I couldn't pass up.  It brought me down to earth just a little bit, and gave me a reality check about how blessed I truly am.  Children are starving to death all over the world, dying of treatable diseases, and not getting even the most meager of educations that could bring them out of their poverty.    

I read somewhere that the United States has the 19th highest literacy rate in the world (which is ridiculous in its own way, because with our resources, we should be at the top of the list) at 99.0 percent, which means that our youth today should not have an issue going to college, furthering our education, and then using our gained skills and knowledge to change our world for the better.  Burkina Faso has a literacy rate of 23.6%.  Mali has a literacy rate of 24.0%.  What are we doing about this?  Obviously, not a whole lot, or this would not be happening by the twenty-first century.

This year, 2010, is a new beginning in many ways.  No matter your age, I challenge you to change the world around you for the better somehow, someway.  Do everything in your available power to make things even remotely better.  Do something that only you could do, or do something that anybody could do, but nobody has ever bothered.  There are so many global issues in the world today, in the United States, in Africa, in Asia, in South America, everywhere.  There is no country on earth without issue.  There are problems.  And yet, wherever you look, in any nation lying under the stars, you will find one common ground.

Apathy. 

As the year of 2010 dawns today on January first, I challenge you to make a difference.  Erase all signs of apathy from your life.  Be that person you thought you could never be. 

In the words of Elvis Presley, "Do something worth remembering."  It sounds so obvious, but how many people have actually done this?

Stand up with me and do your best this year and from now on to make the world a better place.    

Here is a poem that I wrote when I was ten years old.  I think that it shows that I have had a calling to help the needy since I was quite young.  It's poorly written, but I think it has a sweet message.

The Dollar 

A little girl got a dollar for her birthday.

She went out with her mother to spend it.

It was very dark and cold outside,

And the streetlights were brightly lit.

A rabbi at the temple called to her,

"I need that money! Do you know why?

Because my temple must be made bigger!"

But the little girl just passed on by.

A storekeeper selling dresses called to her,

"I need that money! Do you know why?

I have my family to feed, so please buy a dress!"

But the little girl just passed on by.

A homeless child sat on the street, hungry and alone.

"Girl, you need that money.  Do you know why?

So that you can spend it on things to make you happy."

But the little girl didn't pass on by.

What the little girl saw was a humble child,

Who had never had anything new,

So she reached out and gave the money to him.

I would! Wouldn't you?

2004

I would like to dedicate today's post to Pastor Don Lane, who passed away this morning from leukemia.  He was an amazing example of what a strong, Christian man should be, and he proudly shined Christ's love for all of Amarillo to see.  He has influenced so many people during his life, and his dreams will continue to move forward.  We know where he is right now, and that is with his Lord in heaven.  Please pray for the family and for all those he touched with his life. 

---

---

The next time you see someone who is hungry, no matter what they look like, no matter what they smell like, no matter how lazy or 'sinful' they are, why don't you buy them a burger from McDonalds?  Why don't you give them a water bottle so they can have something to drink?

There are so many hungry, so many thirsty, so many needy people wherever you look, and this poverty epidemic will not end unless people like you and I work to stop it. 

-July 15, Wednesday
Amsterdam, Holland -

In a little less than a day, I will be home in Amarillo! I am very excited.

The flight last night was calm and sweet. I fell asleep before we took off and woke up in time from breakfast. Seven hours of uncomfortable, but fairly sound sleep. It was pleasant enough. We had yogurt for breakfast, our first dairy product in two weeks. It tasted delightful.

It is currently 6:00 in the morning, and we depart at 10:00, so we have four hours to do whatever we like. Some of us are considering going out on the rail to view the actual city of Amsterdam, just to have experienced a little piece of Holland. The only concern is that since it is so early in the morning, there will be nothing much to see. I rather hope we do, however, despite the early hour.

I enjoy watching people while I'm in an airport. You can usually tell where a person has originated from simply the clothes that they were. The accents are all fascinating, and you can always find the most captivating people to watch when you are bored in an airport.

Nuns...

Muslim women in full black abaayas...

Africans in tribal dress...

The European chick who doesn't understand the concept of wearing more than a few skimpy articles of clothing at a time...

The stereotypical, overweight, American man who thinks that the overly-colorful sweater he bought at a tourist shop in Prague actually looks fantastic on him, rather than like a watercolor painting he plastered over his wide girth...

An anciently old couple who won't stop holding hands and kissing and looking at each other with eyes full of adoration...

If you have never been to an international airport, these are the wonderful things that you will see, not to mention the European men who enjoy wearing girl pants...

The huge Indian families with 83 ½ children who absolutely demand the right of way in the halls...

The gay couple who cuddle and kiss in front of everyone...

The woman who has sixteen bags, and has half of the staff in the airport helping her carry them...

The American family that is lost and rushing around and looking incomprehensibly at the signs that are all written in German and French and Swahili...

The Europeans who watch them, amused...

The loud choir/youth/middle school class trip group who all wear brightly-colored tee shirts of all the same color, and comment loudly about everything they see until they burst into gales of inappropriately obnoxious laughter and giggles and squealing...

Ahh, airports. What would we do without them?

I am not sure yet exactly where my group fits. Fifteen people of different age, gender, ethnicity, and even American state in which they live. The only common ground for us is Christianity, a longing to assist the AIDS orphans, and a relationship- however so small- with Milton Jones. Jesus and Milton. I am not quite sure how this adds up, but I am sure that I will figure it out someday.

Despite our differences, we are all friends that have a close bond formed by Africa. Really, no one has had much trouble with each other at all. We have all been, at least casually, friends from the start. At this moment, our common bond is that we all terribly, terribly want to skip the nine hour plane ride ahead of us and beam ourselves home, like in some sci-fi creeper movie. I think that would please each one of us immensely.

Earlier today, an American in his late forties went up to me. "Can you speak English?" he asked slowly and deliberately, pointing with dramatic gestures towards his mouth.

I blinked at him. "Yes."

"Do you know where this gate is?" He enunciated his words with great care, motioning towards his boarding pass and then at the Dutch signs above us.

"No, but the Schipold should be over there," I replied casually, allowing my Texan accent to shine through. I nodded towards the signs that marked the time and location for each departure. The man's eyes widened when he noticed my accent and realized that I was, in fact, an American as well. He mumbled a hurried thanks and walked away, obviously embarrassed.

These are the things that make four hour layovers in Amsterdam, Holland, amusing for the bored traveler. Ahh, only three and a half hours left to go.

-Later-

We went shopping for a while. It felt nice to be able to shop and do something so stereotypically American, but at the same time, I felt terribly guilty for spending money on trivial things such as sunglasses, jewelry, and a European hat, when the children back in Kenya can't afford to buy themselves a pair of shoes.

Cheryl treated me and Olivia to two scoops each of Haagen Dazs ice cream. It was such a sweet gesture from Cheryl, and it tasted so good. I chose to eat plain vanilla with hot caramel sauce drizzled over the top. It was lovely.

We sat down and ate our ice cream together, not caring that it was hardly 9:00 in the morning. We reminisced about all of the foods we missed from back home. Mexican food, steak, baked potatoes... we were all holding our stomachs with anticipation by the end of the conversation.

We bid farewell to our Seattle friends, checked into the gate and finally boarded the plane, eager to watch the abundance of movies available in the tiny screens that rested on the backs of the seats in front of us.

This flight is nine hours long, but we will arrive in Houston only three hours later than when we departed. Today will seem much, much longer than a usual day as a result of this. Oh, the joys of jet lag.

-In Air to Houston-

If I lived on a plane, my life would consist of sleeping... watching major motion pictures on eight inch screens... reading The Praise Habit by David Crowder... falling asleep while reading The Praise Habit by David Crowder... eating a perfectly balanced and packaged and cardboard-flavored airplane meal... crawling over people to go to the bathroom... watching movies that I wouldn't ever rent because they really just aren't that interesting... staring at the clock for twenty-three minutes straight, and wishing that I could make time move faster... calculating what time it is in Kenya and in Amsterdam and in Hawaii and in Texas and then back to Kenya... fumbling around in a three by three bathroom stall... sleeping in the weirdest position I have ever sat in before, but that is the only way to feel comfortable enough to sleep... snickering while watching other people sleep in odd positions... listening to the baby in the row behind me scream bloody murder, and thinking, "What in heaven's name was this kid's mother thinking when she took him on this plane?"... and etc.

My mind keeps drifting off to those kids in Africa, and I am beginning to dread coming home. I miss it in Kenya already, and I think it would have been nice to stay longer. My family isn't even home, for crying out loud.

The baby won't stop screaming. I want off this plane.

-In Air to Amarillo-

We had a five hour layover in Houston. Upon arrival in Houston, we were waved through the gate by a flight attendant, who told us with a bright smile, "Welcome home." I couldn't help but grin at her in return, despite my exhaustion. It felt amazing to be back on Texas soil.

Filling out our immigration and customs cards, we all marked down that we had been in farm/ranch land, because if you have ever been to Kenya, then you know that no matter where you go, city or country, you are in farmland with animals. It is simply a part of life for these people. At a church out in the bush, there was even a cow living inside!

The customs people were not happy that we had been in farmland. Some of them pulled me into a room, asking me several questions, including whether or to I had stepped in any manure. "What have I not stepped in?" I thought to myself. "I've worn this pair of flimsy Old Navy flip flops through the slums of Kisumu, where the streets have ankle-deep piles of both animal and human feces. Beat that, people."

It took us an hour to get through customs and security and panicked officials, but we were finally through. We ate lunch at Chili's, and I had a salad- my first salad in two weeks, because lettuce is composed of so much water, and Kenyan water is poison. I also drank my first Dr. Pepper in half of a month. If I ever move to Africa, which I must say is a possibility, I'm not sure how I can live without my Dr. Pepper. It is some heavenly stuff.

We all asked for so many refills of our drinks. Ice is a glorious wonder to us now. I sat at a table with Milton, Barbie, and Christian, and I think that Milton must have had five refills of his iced tea. It was funny to watch. He downed one glass in less than a minute. The poor waiter turned around from serving the rest of us and said in a bewildered voice, "Oh, let me get you another glass, sir."

Everything in America feels so different. The sky looks different. The clouds look different. The air smells a lot different. Africa- Kenya, at least- has a very distinctive smell to it, no matter where you go. Some people were offended by the foreign scent of the air. I, however, didn't mind it all that much. It is a very African scent- polluted, tropical, foreign... with a little hint of marijuana laced through the breeze now and then as well.

People have been rushing, rushing around, which has not been familiar to me at all over these past few weeks. I think back on an African saying, one that the Kenyans take very literally. It goes something like, "Americans have watches, but Africans have time," and it is the truth. The calmness, the serenity of Kenya, is something that I will miss.

I do not want to blend back in with my old life. I do not want to become once again the person who I used to be. I think a little differently now, and I want to remain this way, to live this way. I want to remember the poverty, remember the people, remember their faces- young and old. I can't let myself forget.

I do not want to look upon money as an expendable resource when I know for a fact that there are people 5,000 miles away in Africa who would weep with gratitude if I gave them ten dollars.

I do not want to become part of the daily hustle and bustle that has become so common for the modern American lifestyle.

I want to be able to sit down and truly listen to someone, to cherish the value of both time and loved ones.

I do not want to lose faith over something relatively small when there are those who have lost everything and everyone they have, and yet have the faith of Job, even while they know that they will never have their lives replenished back to where it was before. I want that kind of extreme faith.

I do not want to whine about having to go to school every day when there are those who start walking at 3:00 in the morning to make it on time to a classroom with dirt floors and a teacher who didn't even graduate from high school.

Never again will I use the phrase, "I am starving." Not when there are people who truly are starving and do not complain.

Those who believe that it is not our duty as Christians to feed the poor must go and read the book of James. There are those who need us. Jesus would feed His lambs, and we are His disciples, who should be following His example. How else can we live out Christ's love but by feeding the hungry, fulfilling Jesus' will for the least of His children? How else can they be fed?

James 2:15-17, TNIV, says, "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." I do not want to be the one who says, "I wish you well," and does nothing. I want to be the one who follows Christ's will and feeds the hungry, and clothes the naked, and shares the gospel with those who do not know.

We are His tools.

We are about to land in Amarillo any minute now, and I feel excitement coursing through my veins and rising up within me. I am home. It has been a long journey- one I never want to forget- a journey that has changed my perspective on the world, on my faith, on humanity. I am ready to be home, to share my experiences with those who are willing to listen. I am ready to continue Christ's purpose for my life.

I am His.

-July 14, Tuesday
Kisumu Airport-

I woke up at 4:45 this morning and turned on the shower, shivering in dreaded anticipation of the icy blast that was sure to come. To my great surprise and excitement, steam began to rise from the scalding hot water. I stepped beneath the faucet, smiling from ear to ear. Despite the early hour, this was a wonderful start to my day.

The hotel staff prepared us breakfast and so we ate at the LeSavannah Hotel for the last time. We have only real, American food to eat from now on, I hope. Lunch and dinner hopefully should not consist of a single bite of ugali. No more, no more.

We said goodbye to John and Connie for the last time, only wondering at the thoughts that were passing through their minds. Their team is now gone. Now they only have each other- two missionaries alone in Kenya. Are they excited that we are leaving? Are they terrified? I can only speculate.

We boarded our matatus and rode off into the darkness, watching young children walk alone to their schools, moving quietly through the early morning darkness.

When we arrived at the airport, they told us that they did not open until 7:00, a slightly frightening thought since our plane takes off at 8:00, and we have fifty tons of baggage to load and check. They presented us with a small, peaceful patio outside surrounded by a garden. We all sat together, listening to Audie's devotion and watching the sun rise in pastel strokes of color that painted the sky like a morning rainbow.

We gave our final farewells to Jared, giving him the customary both-side African hug and shaking his hand for one last time. "Asante-sana," he said over and over again, smiling at each of us. "Tell my American friends hello. I will see you next year."

Checking baggage was a hectic mess. It took us forever, but we finally made it through, weary and ready to relax on the plane to Nairobi. We are still in the waiting room, waiting for the plane to show up. Everyone seems excited to finally be on our way home and yet sad to leave. It is a bittersweet moment, impossible to understand unless you have seen what we have seen and met the people we have met.

How can we simply return to our old lives, taking everything for granted, after we have seen these people who are literally drowning in poverty? How can we waste our money on things that don't matter? How can we sleep in a real bed, use warm water in our showers, and complain about our school, however poor it may be? How can we take our families, our health, and our homes for granted? How can we eat a bite of an extensive meal and not feel grateful? How can we complain about the most trivial problems in our lives and not stop to think of the children at Lakeside Orphanage who have lost everything that they have because of AIDS? How can our lives ever be the same again?

I am so blessed, so privileged, to have what I have. It takes me back to the orphanage, to the children proudly showing us what little they had. It takes me back to the children at Ring Road, explaining to me how happy they were because God had blessed them with food and an education. It takes me back to the bush at KipKabus, to the woman giving Barbie and I one of, if not the most, expensive thing she owned. It takes me back to the church in Eldoret, where the church elders stood in the middle of poverty, hands lifted high in adoration for the Lord, singing, "He has done so much for me that I cannot tell it all..."

How can our lives not be changed in every possible aspect?


-Nairobi, Kenya-

At this exact moment, I am sitting on the curb outside of the Nairobi airport, waiting. I have been waiting for forty minutes now, and I have another twenty minutes left to go before the Seattle team arrives and we leave for the safari.

-Later-

We went ahead and checked our baggage, and we are again out on the curb, waiting for our matatus to show up. Everyone is hungry and passing out what little snacks we have.

This reminds me of when one of the church elders told us gravely that Americans say that they are starving when they are only a little bit hungry. Africans know what it is like to truly be hungry." Together we discussed this memory, and we all lost a little bit of our appetites. Here we are, stuffing our faces with Sour Patch Kids and beef jerky and pistachios because we're a little overdue on lunch, and there are people living a mile away who are literally starving to death. It makes you think.


-Nairobi, Kenya-

We went to the wildlife park to walk around and view the animals in their pens. Our guide was a young man named Alex. He had a great passion for the animals and took us all around the park, off of the paths and up close to view the wild animals. We saw the rhinos, wildebeests, buffalo, leopards, lions...

Alex paid little mind to the park laws and instead took us behind the tourist fences and into the wild, face to face with the animals with only a chain link fence between us. The leopard lunged at the measly fence, snarling ferociously at us. It was a little frightening.

Alex carried this little baby songbird in his hand. At one point, he handed me the bird and walked away, leaving me standing helplessly, holding the trembling songbird. Finally, after a while, I walked up to Alex and said, "Here, take her back now," and he laughed and amiably complied.

"Have you ever touched a cheetah, the fastest of all animals?" Alex asked us in a hushed whisper. "These great cats can be tamed, but shh... this is a secret. Follow me." With a wide grin lighting up his face, Alex led us past the boundaries and out into the actual park, where another park ranger was waiting. A cheetah sat calmly a few yards away, unleashed, watching us intently with golden eyes. "Go on, touch him," Alex murmured, and one by one, we knelt to stroke the large cat, listening to its loud purr and caressing its head and back in awe while we posed for a photo. The experience was both frightening and wonderful at the same time. The fact that a full-grown cheetah was sitting inches away from me, purring, was a surreal feeling.

Alex obviously enjoyed leading us around the park, introducing us to woman-despising monkeys and letting us hold leopard carcasses and put our feet in scale models of elephant feet. He eagerly pointed out birds and herbs and the tree branches in which Africans use to brush their teeth. "This is the biggest secret in Africa. This is why our teeth are so white and beautiful."

At the end, when Alex gave us our ticket stubs so that we could pass the guards and leave the park, he wrote his email address on the back of mine. He motioned towards the written address with his finger so that I would see it, and gave me a wink before ushering me out the door with the others.

For lunch, we went to a place that looked fairly nice and cost twelve hundred shillings per meal, which is probably fifteen or sixteen dollars. The meal consisted of rice, lamb, chicken, fish, cooked banana, potato, and green beans. This was one of the first meals that I did not care for at all. My stomach began to hurt about ten minutes into the meal, so I stopped eating completely.

After lunch, we went to the safari headquarters. Some people did not want to spend the money to go on the safari, and so they stayed behind. The rest of us were eager to see the wildlife of Africa in their natural habitats.

The first animal we saw was a warthog, trotting through the tall savannah grass, its tail in the air like a flag. After this, we saw gazelle, antelope, buffalo, and a rhino. There were herds upon herds of dramatically-striped zebra, and even a few babies. We saw the zebra up close, watching eagerly as they crossed the road directly in front of our matatus, stopping for a moment to look at us with wary eyes.

We drove around and around looking for giraffes, but we couldn't see any. We were all sorely disappointed and praying silently, "Lord, let us see one giraffe... just one." At the tail end of the safari, literally to the point where we could almost see the entrance from which we came, we all gasped in unison. A single young giraffe was striding calmly down the road in front of us, ambling along without a care, ignoring our very presence. It felt like a blessing straight from God, a small gift that He gave us us to see His children smile with delight. We were all so excited and happy to see that simple giraffe.

We arrived back at the building too late to go to the restaurant, Carnivore, and so the people who didn't go on the safari were a little upset with us. However, they had no idea about how amazing the safari was.

We went straight to the airport, which was a good thing, because the traffic was terrible. It took forever for us to merely arrive, check in, exchange our currency back to American dollars, eat dinner, go through security, and sit down. We had perfect timing, really.

I think that we are all feeling concerned about fitting back into our former lives. We have all been changed by this trip, and it will be hard to live out our extravagant lifestyles when the faces of hungry children are swimming hauntingly before our eyes wherever we go. How can we ever again truly adapt to the hectic, apathetic culture that we were all once so used to? How can we simply move on from this journey when there is so much poverty, so much need, so much hunger in the world?

I don't think that any of us will ever again say, "I'm starving."