Together We Make a Difference

I was looking back on this year to see what was on my mind last Christmas and was not surprised to see that my heart and head were much in the same place. There is no question that as I get older and our family and friends are blessed with such abundance, I seek out simpler ways of making a difference. I can’t deny that I am still a decorating maniac and that our house looks like a Christmas movie set, but underneath all the stuff, I search to make a difference.

The past few weeks have been busy with Thanksgiving celebrations and holiday preparations. This year, we focused our annual staff parties on the spirit of Thanksgiving rather than Christmas. With this priority in mind, we made arrangements to bring everyone from our four office locations for one giant community event. On Tuesday, November 28^th, more than 100 people gathered at a local military station to partner with an organization whose mission is to assist military families. We spent several hours organizing the warehouse, sorting donations we had collected, assembling care kits for wounded warriors, making wreaths and just doing everything we could to help support these young military families. It was a great day! Our message that day was “Together We Make a Difference” – and we did.

This is also the third year that as a family we have a new way of gift giving for Christmas. We draw names and choose a “giving gift” for each other that is important to the receiver. This year, Terry and I have funded many gifts through Project Concern’s Gift of Life program. This is the most wonderful program – and to see what a few dollars can achieve is amazing. I’m sure Santa will come visit our granddaughters – but he is also delivering “flocks of hens” from our girls to families in Nicaragua. The eggs that the hens produce can be sold or eaten, so the family can increase its income and consume a nutritious source of protein at the same time. Not only does the family benefit directly, but so does the entire village - once the family raises more offspring, another group of nine hens will be given to a neighboring family as part of a growing community fund.

I hope my sister doesn’t see this blog before Christmas because her surprise will be spoiled - but she is our inspiration and reason for helping to fund a safe water tank for an entire village in Central America. This tank will literally change the lives and the economy of the people living there. And Terry decided to buy a llama. Bolivia is the poorest country in South America where over 60% of the population lives in poverty. The addition of a single llama to one home can have a tremendous impact. A llama can help carry heavy crop loads to market which allows a family to earn more income because it can sell more goods. A llama can also have its wool sheared and sold to provide additional income for the family. Merry Christmas Terry!

So my holiday dream and my holiday wish is for each of you to consider the possibility of the difference you can make. I hope you find someone, some cause, some idea that inspires you . . . because this I know, together we make a difference.

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!