10 Images of Where Children Sleep Around the World

This boy (who remains anonymous for his own safety) was a child soldier during the war in Liberia. He became a soldier because the offer of food and money was too hard to refuse. He goes to a school for ex-child-soldiers. He is an orphan and has three brothers. He wants to be a teacher when he grows up.

Click below to view:
Where Children Sleep
After viewing those, consider sponsoring a child. For the amount of money you spend a month on burgers, you could change a child's life. We sponsor through Compassion and the group of little girls I work with on Wed nights at New Hope has just recently sponsored a child through Mayan Families. The adults of New Hope sponsor from Amazima. The point isn't which organization you sponsor through, but that we stop saying it needs to be done and actually do it. You can check out each organization through Charity Navigator to see how they monies you give are spent. But, again, make a difference and do something.

Compassion International 

 Mayan Families  

Save the Children 

 World Vision 

 Amazima

Child 2 Child - Take 2

For maybe a couple of years now, I, along with 3 or 4 other women have been working with a dedicated group of little girls each Wednesday night. They call themselves Child 2 Child. This group of kids began making craft items each week and selling them only to church members. We never went outside the walls with their crafts and yet these little girls were able to help build a well in Kenya, buy formula for babies in an Guatemalan orphanage, purchase a Universal Nut Sheller for the Full Belly Project, send monies and hand sewn blankets to the Navajo here in our own country. They've done all this and so much more that I can't bring to memory right now. This from about 10 girls in a small church here in Florida.

They've memorized and taken to heart the full meaning of Matthew 25:40. They viewed pictures of starving children as they learned not everyone is as fortunate as they are. They know the dangers of mosquitoes and malaria. They know how AIDS can kill off a whole tribe if the necessary meds aren't available. At one point we even had a 5 yr old who could tell you what a guinea worm is and what it does to a person's body. It's a lot for kids, but it's Christ for them. It's Christ through them.

We adults decided to take time off from crafting and teach them to sew. For the last several months they've learned all sorts of intricate details that come with both hand stitching and machine. We're all so proud of them. During this time they made items to take home since many were what we lovingly call "design challenged." It's been good for them because they've learned a craft they can take with them for a lifetime. But, it also has taken them away from the heart of Child 2 Child - the giving from one child who has so much to another who has little. So, we'll be starting back with our original purpose very soon.

Each week I have Bible time with them before they work. I wanted to share with you a book I plan to purchase to read to them each week along with their Scriptures. Katie Davis is a young woman who has given her life over completely to the Lord. View the video and you'll see why her book may be just the thing for this particular group of little girls. You may find out it is just the thing for you, too.



The book is out in October, but you can preorder it here.

The Slightest Taste of Homelessness

The Slightest Taste of Homelessness

Claudia's Story

This video was sent to me by my friend Christi who is mother to two very awesome sons. The boy's birth mothers are from Guatemala so Christi's heart is tender toward the children there. Take a moment to watch little Claudia's very poignant story:



We need to do more. Christians need to do more.

And the King will answer: Whenever you did it for any of My people, no matter how unimportant they seem, you did it for Me. Matthew 25:40

Jubilee on Wall Street

...A couple of years ago, two things happened. First, we won a lawsuit over police misconduct in New York City. The police had been arresting homeless people for sleeping in public and charging them with disorderly conduct. Hundreds of folks rallied to bring attention to this situation, and many of us slept outside to express our feeling that it shouldn’t be a crime to sleep in public. I was arrested one night as I slept. Through a long legal process, I was found not guilty, and then I filed a civil suit of wrongful arrest, wrongful prosecution, and police misconduct. And we won, in addition to a legal precedent, around $10,000. But we figured the money didn’t belong to me or to the Simple Way but to the homeless in New York for all they endure. It was their victory.

The second thing that happened was that after our study of biblical economics, we were given an anonymous gift of $10,000, money which had been invested in the stock market and now was being returned to the poor. Read the full post here.

A song I need to hear...

I have a love/hate relationship with this song; I'm sure anyone who really listens to it does, too. I've posted it before and felt moved to post it again.

A Question of Only Five Words

It's a long post, but one that speaks to the heart of abject poverty.

Soul Manna

In the midst of just terrible news worldwide, David reposted this. It's one of those "places" every Christian is required to be in...that every person needs to find. Read the whole post because the "Soul Manna" offered there is fulfilling.

Soles4Souls

From It's Like Herding Cats:
Barefoot Sunday is coming this week to New Hope - Valparaiso FL. Bring your gently used shoes and change the world for someone. Do something!

Corn Dogs, Mac 'n Cheese, and Allan

It's Monday and in addition to David trying to breathe and rest a bit after Sunday, getting music together for tomorrow night, making sure I have a craft for the Child 2 Child girls, washing a load of clothes, and teaching piano, most importantly it's "dinner with Allan" night.

I have to remind myself of that "most importantly" part, because Allan isn't always easy. David is probably the most awesome person I know when it comes to Allan. He always - always - sees Jesus in Allan. You have to understand that we are called upon by Allan to repeat phrases over and over. Most times it things like, "Sean, you're OUT!" Allan is a baseball fan and for some reason, Sean is always out. It's important that Allan hears us repeat what he says. I think that's because he's not heard that often.



This picture is pretty representative of Allan with Mick and Stevie. Allan is hyper. Mick and Stevie are hyper. Put the three of them together and you have one hyper young man not understanding why his exaggerated movements make the pups so active. I do have to say that Stevie, our sweet girl Airedale, will have Allan saying, "Awww...I love you!" David and I just smile at that 'til it hurts!

I'm not even sure how the every Monday night dinner with Allan happened. I'm thinking he was hanging around New Hope one Monday afternoon and I flippantly said, "Come eat with us!"...and that was that.

He's easy to please when it comes to food. Tonight he requested corn dogs and macaroni and cheese. There's not a whole lot easier than that.

Change the way you "do" Christmas

YOU can make a difference this year. Even if you've already purchased part of your gifts now, finish up by making a difference!

Matthew 25:40

...526 orphaned children showed up with another 175 village children. Wow. Some of them had walked over 8 miles just to get there! They were packed into the church, singing and waiting for our arrival. After introductions and explanations of the Teso Widows and all that they do already to care for their communities, we began to serve the porridge. It was 1 pm and everyone's first meal of the day. . .for some, their first meal in days. They were thrilled as we passed out the mugs and bowls of porridge. Porridge is very filling, but do not be fooled, it contains no real nutrients. It is flour and water. This is what many families feed their children. The other meal would not come for hours. We ran out of porridge before everyone was fed and sent our driver out to buy more food for the next meal. We spent most of the last 20 minutes passing each other, knowing the porridge was running out and trying to hide our tears.

The King will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of My people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for Me." Matthew 25:40

Read the rest of Brandi's post here. It's past time for agreeing that living in a world with starving children is horrible. It's time to do something about it. Start somewhere. There are hundreds of ways to help. Sponsor a child (google "child sponsorship programs"), give a one time donation, but do something now. Let today be the day you start living out your faith.