C.S. Lewis: "If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot because our charitable expenditures excludes them."
Because T. and I gave a presentation during church today on ideas for humanitarian/service acts I would like to share a few things that our family enjoys doing.
~~arrange vacations to places where needed items can be shared with local people. On our recent trip to Thailand with our 4 daughters & their husbands, we each brought a duffel bag with
items for the hill tribes; medical supplies, dental supplies, jackets, scissors, gloves, baby blankets, books, stuffed animals and sports equipment. ~~request your adult children donate money spent on Christmas and your birthday to others. For T.'s 60th birthday he gave the girls money and requested they find a project and spend the money helping those in need.
~~organize a "family volunteer club" with all the members of the extended family to give service for one day to a member of your own clan who has a need. We did this 3 times one summer and when over 50 cousins get together it is thrilling to see all that can be accomplished in a short period of time. ~~start an S.O.S. club (summer of service) with family or friends. Get together 2-4 times a month at each other's homes to help each other with needed tasks. My mom, 2 sisters, 1 daughter and I met last summer to help each other for 2 hours at a time. That is10 hours of total labor. The person receiving the service fixed lunch. We did yard work, painting, spring cleaning and scrap booking. ~~ go to a local fire department, police or ambulance station with 2 things: food of any kind, and your grandchild. Grandchildren need to see grandparents serving others. ~~buy a bag of tootsie-pops and let your small grandchildren pass them out to children at the mall. Have them ask permission from the mothers first. ~~when you go on a walk with young children, bring a trash bag and help them pick up litter. ~~ keep a sack of groceries in your car and when you feel inspired, give them to a person in need. ~~watch when you are filling your car with gas for someone who could also use a fill-up. ~~buy a gift certificate at a department store and look for someone in the shoe department who you could buy a pair of shoes for.
The Hatch family from Gilbert have done/are doing some things we truly admire. As a family with seven children, they found an orphanage in Mexico (2006) and spent Christmas Eve & Christmas Day at the orphanage delivering gifts to every child, building a playground and fixing a Christmas dinner. Lorin has been buying shoes, shirts, ties and suits from Savers,Goodwill and other thrift stores for several years. He donates this clothing to missionaries who otherwise could not afford it. Before a missionary can serve he needs three things; a physical exam, a dental exam and a suit. Lorin has collected literally hundred of suits. He is 'down' to only 100!
Many of the suits are sent to Mexico and Central America. If you know someone who could use a suit, or if you would care to donate to this wonderful service project you can contact Lorin at:lorinhatch@cox.net
Our bishop in Utah, and his wife have built an orphanage in Ecuador for special needs children. They take groups quarterly to work in the orphanages of Cuenca and to experience firsthand the wonderful people and culture of Ecuador. "Our trip will involve approximately 35 hours of hands on experience within many different orphanages. Some of the experiences you will have are: complete care of babies and special needs children, educational experiences with at risk children of all ages, and fun evening activities with an all girls orphanage. Our trip will also involve sightseeing, shopping and other fun activities. Your participation will be an experience that you won't forget..." (cost per person including airfare is about $1900.00)www.todoslosninosweb.org
In verses 16-25 of the 4th chapter of Mosiah, King Benjamin talks about our attitudes toward beggars. He reminds us that we are all beggars, in critical need of help from God. Our attitudes and actions toward those whom we are in a position to help will in great measure determine how we are treated on Judgement Day.
Mosiah 4: 17-19 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just. But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent...For behold, are we not all beggars?
6 comments:
great ideas and lots to think about. i love your thought provoking posts. it's great to take a moment and remember why we're here and stop thinking about ourselves so much- something i'm very guilty of
as always inspiring...Wow you've come a long way since FOOF. Aways ringing in my ears is my Dad telling us "it cost to be a good samaritan" Even with 11 children in their home there aways was room for that extra kid or even a whole family that needed a hand. Example sure speaks volumes! Sorry I missed Tracy's lesson today.
Great ideas and thoughts about service. I love to serve and hope to do more of it in the future. There are so many little things we can do to lift someone else every day. Thanks for great ideas and a reminder of what is really important in life!
Great post. Why does Lorin look so familiar to me? Have I met him? Call me with details how the lesson went. Bummer dad would have been in so much pain!
Great ideas. I've given furniture and stuff away to people in greater need than I. I used to give a lot of stuff away when I was married to Dufus. He would get so mad, but I wanted Heavenly Father to know I was willing to give when I had nothing. And look what he blessed me with in the end.
thanks for sharing this post. This has been such a rough week for us...and it was good to be reminded of something that always brings me great joy.
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