It’s now a few days after Sept. 11. Every single one of you remembers what you were doing that day seven years ago. I was in India teaching English to Hindu orphans. Here’s what I remember:
The Muslim neighbors who let us watch the 9/11 updates on their television while they served us tea [...]
Filed under: Children, Faith-based, Humanity, International | 1 Comment »
by Tina Smith Houchin (guest writer)
A few years ago, I began reflecting on my life and my place in this world. I had always lived in Logan County, Ohio, and wished I had experienced more of the world. I also questioned if I had been a positive influence on others.
I was determined [...]
Filed under: Children, Guest Bloggers, International, Literacy | 1 Comment »
The world needs more good daddies. And so I convinced my husband to join me on a two-week service vacation at a children’s orphanage in Peru this past March with the ulterior motive of providing the kids with the chance – maybe their only one – to have a positive experience with a wonderful male [...]
Filed under: Children, Family, International | 4 Comments »
I almost didn?t write this story because I?m too embarrassed. But, here it is.
The worst part about our vacation to Cuzco, Peru, last month was being hounded by dozens of impoverished street vendors who pestered us to buy something. (The best part was everything else). Every time we left our hotel or a [...]
Filed under: Humanity, International, Kindness | 2 Comments »
On my way to work each morning, I pass a group of Latino day laborers standing outside a 7-Eleven. I never gave them much thought aside from a vague hope that they all found work that day and would be paid enough to support their families.
I have a whole new appreciation for them [...]
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(Pat Bushway, a dear friend, went to Nicaragua in an effort to build a partnership between her church and the people of San Isidro parish)
Prior to our first trip in mid June, my expectations were wildly varied, and, as it turns out, mostly wrong. Not surprisingly, I found it difficult to accurately visualize life [...]
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Voluntary suffering never appealed to me. That changed one summer day in 2001 at an orphanage in southern India where I was volunteering with Global Volunteers (GV) (http://www.globalvolunteers.org)
One very hot day we walked maybe a quarter mile to a litter-strewn field, armed with tin plates for plate-balancing-on-your-head relay races and rope for three-legged races. [...]
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Done right, volunteering is one of the most self-centered activities you can do for yourself.
Now wait! Just because a word starts with “self” doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Think about it. Imagine how awesome your life will be once you’ve found that special way of volunteering that rocks your world. Trust [...]
Filed under: International | 1 Comment »
Our glass of life can be either half-full or half-empty, depending on what we see. And with that, my holiday gift to you is three short vignettes of a few people whose glass is always half full. Enjoy.
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Sarah is your typical 25 years old, trying to balance school, marriage, work and sanity. [...]
Filed under: Children, Faith-based, International, Military | No Comments »
“One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove or what kind of clothes I wore. All that will matter is that I made a difference in the life of a child.” Between you and me, I always thought that saying attributed to Forrest Witcraff was pretty [...]
Filed under: Children, Humanity, International | No Comments »