Offering my time to help the needy used to be one of my weekly rituals. On Wednesdays I could be found using donated fabric to create quilts for the poor. Fridays meant I'd go behind the scenes of preparation for dinner at the soup kitchen. On other occasions I helped raise money for Toys for Tots, performed data-entry for an organization helping teens make healthy choices and gave my time to help a local grade school. Now that I'm a mommy and in the process of moving into a house, time is something I cannot donate. I'd love to donate my money to various charitable causes, but my checking account keeps reminding me about bills that need to be paid. Thankfully time and money aren't the only ways to reach the hurting and the hungry.
While packing to move into a new home I noticed that many unused items are collecting dust in my apartment. Some might wonder why I didn't sell them on Craigslist, have a yard sale or take unwanted clothes to a consignment shop. It's all because God has even greater plans for my junk.
A nearby church is sending people on a short-term mission trip to Haiti so the hopeless can know hope. I couldn't stop thinking about the new opportunities that the missions’ team plans to create, or how Julianna has luxuries that I take for granted. My daughter went to the hospital two times for reflux and sees a specialist monthly so she can continue gaining weight. These children have no access to doctors and often go to bed hungry. My daughter will learn to read and write in school and has endless possibilities of career choices when she becomes an adult. The missions’ team in Haiti built schools, a business institute and provides vocational training so kids and adults can have a future. A few cookbooks, unwanted clothes and nick nacks might not solve world hunger, but they can be donated items to a rummage sale that is working to alleviate poverty.
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