Lori and Julie, two good friends of mine, got back from Africa in July. They’ve been going for several years now. Not to go on safaris or sightseeing vacations, but to help bring some joy and love to some less fortunate children in Zambia. They are a part of the Mothers Without Borders group and they give up vacation time and pay their own way to go (which isn’t cheap!) to go help out. They’ve shared some of their stories and experiences with me and I’m always touched by them. It puts my life SO much into perspective. There is more to my single, pampered life in Salt Lake City. There are people just trying to survive – trying to get enough food to eat, find safe shelter, deal with some terrible diseases including AIDS, and trying to get an education to help them get out of the extreme poverty they are in. It may seem on paper what they do is like a drop in the bucket to the enormity of problems in Africa, but the truth ism my friends change these children's lives and I know from what they’ve told me, these children change theirs. And that’s one of the biggest reasons for our existence as Christians - to help and love one another.
After this particular trip, my friends told me about this latest campaign to help these precious children improve their lives. It’s called, Give’em 5! The concept is that if we can find 15,000 people to give $5 we can build a VERY much needed school for them. That’s all it takes!!
Right now, these children are going to school in a converted chicken coop – that’s to save them a 2 hour walk to the government school. At this chicken coop school they can do school for a full day instead of the usual half day in the other school. They are doing the best they can with this temporary solution, but these are not good conditions. When it rains, it soaks the two small rooms because there are only screens that cover the windows. The dust is a daily struggle to keep down from the dirt and rock floor. And the noise from the rain on the tin roof is deafening, making it hard to learn. With this new school, these children can have a real facility and the supplies they need to learn and improve themselves.
When Lori first told me about the program, I thought it was a fantastic idea! We all have $5 to spare even during these hard economic times!! So I’m making a plea to you, my friends…if you have $5 to spare PLEASE donate to the Mothers Without Borders website for our Give’em 5! campaign.
For more info about the school.
The date to reach this goal is Thanksgiving 2010. So there is no time to delay if you decide you can help.
And for my friends who are local to Salt Lake City, I am having a party/fundraiser where I hope we can raise a little more money than just the $5 a person.
Here’s the deal: On Wednesday, September 29, come to my home at 7pm. Donating $5 to Give’em 5 campaign gets you in my front door. You also get one raffle ticket. AND access to some delicious desserts and other tasty food that you can eat to your heart’s content!
If you donate $10, you will get one more raffle ticket AND a Give’em 5 T-shirt.
I am collecting some great prizes (from tickets to gift certificates and other fun stuff) that we will raffle off that night starting at 7:45pm. Any additional raffle tickets are only $5!
I'll send out an invite through facebook this week with more details. So, please come if you can! Enjoy good food, good company, and help out some kids in Africa!
