MY HEART BREAKS

I see it every day.
I've lived in the middle of it every day.
I've driven past it every day.
I've read about it every day.
And every day my heart breaks when I take the time to really see the poverty that is all around me.
I just returned from a road trip to Michigan and as I drove the back roads I would see homes like you see in this post and they would be right next door or across the street from beautiful homes.
They're everywhere -
The poor.
The disadvantaged.

On my trip, when I was in my brother's home (and my mom's home, my sister's home, my other sister's home - get it???), in his neighborhood, in his part of town, I was surrounded by gorgeous homes with no hint of poverty anywhere we drove if we stayed in "his" area. If I allowed myself I could have forgotten that there was indeed poverty just down the road a few miles.
And as I sit here typing on my laptop, I've got my feet up on my ottoman in the sitting area of my master bedroom, with the temperature set so I'm perfectly comfortable, plenty of light from the four lamps that surround the room, my cute little convertible sits in the garage safe from the elements, my children are all safe, Clay down the hall in his bedroom and his two brothers safe at college. And their daddy is resting comfortably in the living room watching some {ridiculous} debate show.
My point?

My point is this.
It's wrong. It's just wrong.
And I'm not saying that it's wrong because I'm not doing anything to fight povery because I am.
My husband and I give to the church, we support a missionary, we often give money to those in need and I feel certain that you, too, are doing something to help fight poverty.

But, y'all, none of us are doing enough. We need to do more. For the children.

I've done some research and have decided to add World Vision to my list of giving. (www.worldvision.org) As a child sponsor, you can help save a child from a life of poverty. When you make a gift, your contributions are pooled with that of other sponsors of children in the community where your child lives. Your child receives health care, education, nutritious food, and the entire community benefits from access to clean water, agricultural assistance, medical care, and more.

There are so many ways that each of us can make a difference and I offer this blog post as a place to brainstorm, give others information on ways to help with child poverty, anything that you think will help us all become more aware of poverty in the life of the children not just of the world, but of our own cities and towns. AND, ways to fight it!

Thanks, y'all, for listening to me. I am so blessed and I have not been giving back enough.

Those days are over - God has laid this on my heart in a big way and I don't plan on shutting up about it for a very long time. Please let me know if you would like to join me in this fight and give me/us your ideas and specific plans!

XOXO,