What Will Tomorrow Bring?

Nowadays, I open my day with "Hello Today." It is a way to leave yesterday's old business and start anew.  And so each day as I wonder what tomorrow will bring, I have gotten used to embracing whatever comes my way. It is a game that can be played by one and this solo game continues to enrich my life.

 My penchant is to pay a visit to all the children I sponsor in different countries.  So another journey is on the horizon! I do not have any special dates for the places on my bucket list but each country's turn comes naturally and once again I am planning, shopping and excited to see the child that I have written to for years.  My journey will take me across the Indian Ocean, via Goa to a village called Karwar. There I will meet Neeta, the young Indian girl that I have been sponsoring through ChildFund International.  For a monthly gift of $36.00, Neeta is provided

• Health care and medicines
• New clothing and shoes
• Educational support
• Hope for a brighter future

As in the past when I have visited one of the children, language did not keep us apart and it certainly will not, this time either. It is an exciting opportunity to see the world while contributing to the well-being of someone in need. My message will be one of hope.  I will encourage studying hard because this is the main road out of poverty. I will tell Neeta to never give up, just keep going after a better life, making use of the support she gets from this glorious organization.

My friend told me this is a BOLD move but for me it is important for me to make a difference in the lives of these children born into poverty.  I will continue to heed the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "Be the change you want to see in the world." So as I wonder about the day ahead, I will beckon tomorrow with a big, "Hello Today" knowing it is another day to spread the word to anyone who will listen to why and how we can make a change in the life of a child in need.

PEACE     AND     LOVE!

THESE JOYFUL DAYS

There I was feeling anxious about the many things I still had to complete when I saw these words,HELLO TOMORROW on a magazine in the airline I was travelling in.  Later on I discovered this was their motto.  How welcoming these words were.  They allowed me to stop and pause and sort things out.  Yes there is TOMORROW.
So I have adopted this mantra to use in my daily living, simply translated, I am aware that TOMORROW comes with hope, so I beckon it, but I also embrace today because it is wise and important to live in the present.

                                         "Forget yesterday,
                                           Live for today,
                                           Tomorrow will take
                                           Care of itself."
                                                               Unknown

So as I was beaming with the sound of my new saying: HELLO TOMORROW, a kind-hearted and caring person gave me the most beautiful tea towel and there was the word DEVOUR on that special token.  Under DEVOUR, was a listing of things such as old films, music, books, painting, poems, dreams, random conversations, etc; all things that appeal to me. What a great word! Yes, I will DEVOUR more words, travel, family, friends and the list could go on and on. It gave me an idea on how I could apply this special word to the projects I am now involved with, taking them to another level. I will DEVOUR my love for educating children and their families about healthy eating; I will DEVOUR my love of educating adults to read and write; I will DEVOUR my desire to extend my hands to those in need, especially children living in poverty, globally; I will continue to DEVOUR the mission of Choose To Care, so children in need will have a brand new pair of shoes,allowing them to stay in school and bring dignity to their impoverished lives.

HELLO TOMORROW, the inspirational words that bring me hope will energize me to DEVOUR the plans I have made for a better me, a better community, and even stretch as far as to include hope for a better world. Using those words in tandem will allow me to:

                                               "Live for today,
                                                 Learn from yesterday,
                                                 Hope for tomorrow."

Keep adapting my friends!

                                                         

                                       

MIXING PLEASURE WITH BUSINESS

Little Rock, Arkansas was a pleasant surprise, quiet and demure, yet friendly.  Business took us here but in our spare time, my travel companion and I wanted to explore.  The configuration had us confused for a bit, we were in the downtown area but we kept running into tourists like ourselves.  Only when the trolley driver informed us that everyone escapes on weekends to the springs, did we understand where the citizens of Little Rock were.

So with that knowledge I relaxed on the wonderful trolley, such a delightful means of transportation.  Riding from one end of the line to the other, switching to the Blue Line, we rode over the Arkansas River into Northern Little Rock.  We made friends both with visitors and the trolley drivers and soon we became unofficial tour guides, sharing tidbits we gathered from our frequent rides.  For a mere two dollars($2) we rode all day, hopping on and off to any place of interest.  One such place was Heifer International, a non-profit organization that gives to families in need, teaching them how to grow income, improve their lives and pass on help to others.

Our excursion took us to many museums, the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Little Rock Central High School where nine African American teenagers attempted to enter the all-white school.  The Tours gave us many lesson about the history of this State

This was also an opportunity to meet my sponsored child lizbeth, who happens to live in Little Rock.  Through Children International, a U.S based organization, children in need are given a chance to grow up healthy, educated and prepared to make a difference in their community and even the world at large.  After a tour of the Children International headquarters, Lizbeth, her mother, aunt and an official from the organization joined me for a meal and then we were off shopping for a few items for Lizbeth.  The conversation went well, she was up on things happening in the world.

So from the conference, to the tours and visit with that precious child, I have fulfilled my value of caring and compassion and know why I must continue to rise to the call of those in need as much as I can.

"Joy is prayer, joy is strength, joy is love
  joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.
  She gives most who gives with joy."
 
   Mother Teresa

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS

"Would you like to go to Little Rock, Arkansas?"  This was music to my ears and if it was the appropriate place and time, I would have done a gratitude dance. This is one of the places on my ever-growing list of places that I would like to visit.  Of course not everyone knows about my list and my desire to visit each of the children I sponsor through Children International and ChidFundInternational, two USA based organizations. Anyone who desires, can sponsor children in need so that they can stay in school and one day become self-sufficient.  Your monthly donation is used to provide a nutritious meal, sometimes the only one for the day; to purchase clothing and footwear, ensure that they can see a Doctor or Dentist to help keep them well and provide an afterschool setting, where they can do their homework and other extracurricular activities.  This support has made a big difference in their lives, giving them an opportunity to become healthy, educated and ready to face the world.

This year, when this National Nutrition Conference convenes in Little Rock, Arkansas, we will discuss issues around food insecurity and keeping the nation healthy.  Even in the wealthiest nation, there are households that struggle to provide for their kids basic needs.  My plan is to visit all six(6) of the children I sponsor, who live in different countries. I have not set a timetable, I just plan on letting this happen and when the time is ripe, I would set out on these special journeys. I have visited two (2) young girls in Zambia and promised to be back when they have graduated from High School.  I was fortunate enough last year to visit a young man in Ecuador, who I sponsored for many years. He had graduated from High School and is now employed and has set his eyes on furthering his studies. I am eyeing India and Honduras where two (2) other of my sponsored children dwell and I know for sure that one day I will get a chance to take these trips.
 "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?" said Dr. Martin Luther King.  My most humble response is "not enough, but I am trying."

So in my off time at the conference, the Children International organization is planning to give me a tour of their facility and a chance to meet my sponsored child, Lizbeth and her family.  These trips are always filled with anticipation and wonder. "What will we talk about?"  Yet, even the places where English is a foreign language, we have connected well, amazed that after years of letter writing, we are meeting face to face.

My purpose in this life is always to better myself and the world around us.  My way to achieve this is through patience, to be as generous as life permits, not only giving money but also time to serve those in need, to be humble, to show compassion and do the simple things in life that bring joy and peace. I am planning to purchase my favorite Dr. Seuss book, "Oh, the places you'll go" to take along for this child to whom I always send words of encouragement when we write to each other.  I encourage all my sponsored children to stay in school, study hard, because this is their ticket out of poverty.

                                "What makes the river so restful to people is
                                  that it doesn't have any doubt - it is sure to
                                  get where it is going, and it doesn't want
                                  to go anywhere else."

                                                                  Hal Boyle

I will certainly bring you up to speed after my return.