Asking for Help

If I've learned nothing else from my efforts to live simply and love others deeply, it's when I find myself in need, I often already have the resources to fill that need...It's just not conventionally sitting right in front of my nose.  Most often I see this in the contents of my kitchen--I don't actually need to go to the store for those ten things when the fifty sitting on my shelf will do quite nicely for the day.  Or even something so simple as wanting a nativity set for the girls: Don't have one?  Can't find one?  So, we made one using their dolls (and maybe three hedgehogs wearing tiaras sitting on boxes of 'pixie dust' to represent the three wise men...why we own three hedgehogs, I'll never know) But the point is, I usually find a great sense of satisfaction when I identify a need/want and realize I've already got it.  It brings such a resonating peace that I am being provided for--without even realizing it.  Provision comes in so many creative forms.  And all this has led to an overflowing of praise--a desire to help act as the hands of God to provide for others.

Now, let me be clear:  I am no philanthropist.  We don't have buckets of money to throw at people.  No one's Christmas dreams are coming through on my meager penny.  But, this month, specifically, we're trying much harder to give.  Giving is a very complicated, multi-faceted thing.  I give euros to the homeless.  I'm sure this doesn't do much more than help me feel better about myself for a few fleeting minutes.  So, until I become more comfortable starting a conversation with these people, creating relationships with them, asking them what their needs are and trying to help fill them, these are the projects I've got going.

Saint Nicholas Day is coming.  I hadn't planned to post anything about what I'm doing for it this year, other than encouraging the girls to give, but I'm overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed with how relatively little I have to share.  Turns out, I'm not actually Santa.  There are individuals and families that I feel a deep-seated NEED to help...but I find myself at a loss.  This doesn't happen often; I'm the kind of gal who looks at the square peg and the round hole and says: "We can make this work."

And after praying and at least thinking about fasting...and praying some more, I've come up with: you.  There are lots of you.  Yes: YOU. People can so easily become shrouded in the anonymity the internet provides.  It is so easy to receive the information that something is needed and even easier to push back from the desk or lay down your phone and think: "That's not me."  So, let's get this out of the way:  if you're reading this...if you hold enough affection for me to check this odd little space with any regularity, if you stumbled here on a a random google search for Lou Ferrigno (this is shockingly often), or if you pop in out of boredom to help pass the work week...I'M TALKING TO YOU. 

I need your help.

A few months back I sent a general inquiry on a small group page, asking if anyone needed help or knew anyone needing help this Christmas.  Well, this started out as a few people who were struggling to make ends meet and could use a bit of a lift...and has snowballed into an affliction:  I cannot read anything or browse any media source without becoming overwhelmed by the NEED I see everywhere.  And the realization that I don't have the resources to help in the way I want is shocking.  Because I'm used to figuring out how to fit the round peg in the square hole.  I should be able to do this too.

And I’ve decided I’m not going to concede defeat and apathetically accept that some people just have crap lives.  I can do this. (read: HE can)  even if it only starts out in a small way...and YOU are going to help me.  If a general blog post doesn't work, I'm likely going to start sending out personal emails, so if you'd like to stay off the mailing list, here's the small slice:

The biggest project I've undertaken this year is for a large family in need.  It's the usual story around Christmas; kids need clothes, mom needs supplies for their home and if there were any way to get them a *want* instead of a need, they'd likely expire from shock.  I know this is not unique, but this family is weighing on my heart and I’ve (somewhat secretly) committed to helping them.

Something that has come up recently and is entirely unconnected with Christmas is a family I do know well--a family that has all their basic needs met and can feed the kids just fine.  Brittany and Josh have four amazing, vibrant, frighteningly brilliant kids.  And they want more.  They know they have been gifted with the ability to provide a loving, nurturing home and they have felt moved to lift the weight of the tragedy that befalls so many institutionalized orphans...even if it means bringing them home one at a time.  If you're unmoved by that, go read this and then come back.

But now they need help too.  Adoption is no easy process and the amount it takes to bring one of these babies into a loving home is staggering.  YOU can help.

You can go to their smarty pig account here and make a donation.  If it's only five dollars, donate it and know every penny is given to people who ask humbly and feel great depths of gratitude.  Josh and Brittany are also raffling off an iPad mini in the hopes of raising some money for a goal that needs to be met soon.  They're selling tickets for ten dollars or three for twenty-five.  Shoot them a payment on paypal at:  BrittanyHansen00@gmail.com to enter the raffle or just email Brittany (or me) and ask how you can help...she's also one of the elves helping me provide for the family I mentioned before.

Despite how distant the internet can make us feel--being able to pick up and put down other people's troubles at our leisure...these people need help.  It's not really so much, but it's more than I can do alone.  All I ask is that reading this would create some kind of action--whether you donate to one of these families or make the decision to help someone in your immediate sphere of influence. This post is a prayer that we could be witnesses to each other--to prove that in a world focused on serving ourselves first, there is a portion striving to deviate from that horrible norm.

Now go--do good.  And love each other.