Days 22 and 23

Day 22: Created Women

Their mission: Created Women is a ministry in Tampa that focuses on women who are caught in prostitution or other sex industry and offers them a way out of the industry and a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. I urge you to watch the introductory video to their website. It really explains their vision way better than I think I could.

What you can do: Created has a many-sided approach to giving women an identity in Christ and a relationship with their community. It offers part-time work at several "micro-businesses," and there is a year-long residency program at a home for personal restoration called "The Sanctuary." $500 a month pays for one woman's residency. You can give either a one-time amount or make a monthly commitment.

Day 23: Final Day

Well, today is Christmas Eve, and I'm going to call this project complete. I feel good about the coverage I've given to the non-profits I mentioned, although I know there are many more that I would have liked to profile. I have just one last statement to make before I go put on reindeer antlers and make faces at the Baby.

Please make giving a part of your life. Don't just give because it's Christmas and you feel bad when you hear about hurricane victims or the homeless or the starving or the slaves or the oppressed while you eat turkey and open presents in a warm house. These people are hurting year-round. However bad things are for you, there's someone who has it worse.

If none of these programs spoke to you, find something that does. If you become the sort of person who gives of himself or herself, you will like yourself more. That's just the way it works. You could be the nicest person in the world with a robust self-esteem, but you will still feel better just for giving. Give your stuff, buy stuff to give, give your money. You know, that green stuff people kill for. Think of everything you earn in terms of what you will give away. Your life and our country would be better for it.

Christians: this is not an option. Give to what you care about, give to what God calls you to give, give what you can, give more than you "can." Change you life to be able to give more. This is our calling, and we can meet it with a cheerful heart!

I will probably not be back on until after the New Year, so a very merry Christmas and happy holidays, and I will see you next year!

Days 20 and 21

Day 20: Mommies Little Miracles

Their mission: Mommies Little Miracles is a preemie advocate and support group for parents of preemies in the Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. It was started in 2008, and I discovered them a couple of months after Elijah was released from the hospital. They are an incredible resource for parents who are navigating life during and after their NICU experience. We meet once a month to chat and share our experiences (and to simply unwind), and I have been so incredibly blessed to have so many moms who have been through a similar experience as I. They host parent "social nights" at a local hospital to give parents in the NICU a chance to meet each other and get their minds off of their situation, and they host an annual baby shower at the same hospital to benefit mothers who most likely never had a baby shower before having to unexpectedly give birth.

What you can do: You can donate money, (their website is still getting sorted out, but you can contact them easily enough) but you can also donate new baby gifts (clothes, towels, bathtubs... anything parents need for their infants) for their baby shower and other events. And this is just for the Tampa Area. If you have a heart for the NICU family, there are organizations all over the place that offer support for parents of premature and sick children, as well as bereaved parents. If you want to support these efforts, all you have to do is a little research to see what you can do in your area.

Day 21: Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

Their mission: RZIM states it's mission as, "to reach and challenge those who shape the ideas of a culture with the credibility of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Distinctive in its strong evangelistic and apologetic foundation, the ministry of RZIM is intended to touch both the heart and the intellect of the thinkers and influencers of society through the support of the visionary leadership of Ravi Zacharias." As a Christian and a student, I appreciate the academic and apologetic support of Christian beliefs, which is what Ravi Zacharias and his associates provide. Ravi Zacharias is a brilliant speaker and apologist, and the resource that he is to the Christian community is incredibly valuable. My husband and I have benefited from his many speeches and from those of the other speakers in his ministry. Their vision says it all: "to build a team with a fivefold thrust of evangelism, apologetics, spiritual disciplines, training, and humanitarian support so that the mandate of I Peter 3:15 might be fulfilled: to set apart Christ in our hearts as Lord and always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is within us, with gentleness and respect, all for the glory of God."

What you can do: Donate money! That's what they need. They have events all over the world, and their resources are available to all who need them because of the donations of people who believe in the work of this ministry. If you are a Christian believer, please check out Ravi Zacharias and consider supporting their work this season and in the coming year.

Days 18 and 19

Day 18: RCMA

RCMA is an abreviation for "Redlands Christian Migrant Association." They are a childcare organization that offer quality care and education to the children of Florida's migrant farming families. They are based out of Immokalee, Florida (which, oddly, is where my husband is from) and they have branches in many farming communities across the state.

Their mission: Their website explains their vision and goals - "RCMA opens doors to opportunities through quality child care and education from crib to high school and beyond.

• To provide quality child care
• To provide children and their families with support services
• To provide educational opportunities and improve the health and general welfare of children and their families
• To involve parents in the educational process and in public policy decisions affecting their children and families
• To increase public awareness of the lifestyle of migrant and seasonal farm workers and the rural poor
• To provide opportunities and encourage the professional development of staff hired from the communities served."

They offer services to nearly 8,000 children ranging in ages from 6 weeks to 12 years. They offer charter schools, VPK and Head start programs, teen parents programs, and reading progams.

What you can do: You can donate financially to RCMA, or you can give to their reading program. They have a great emphasis on literacy and English proficiency, since many of the children who come to their programs come from Spanish-speaking homes. Many parents who speak only Spanish depend on the English proficiency of their children in order to communicate with non-Spanish speakers, so the literacy and fluency of these children are incredible assets to their families.

Elijah at about 1 month old

Day 19: Your Local NICU

So, here is another shameless plug in favor of a topic that is very personal for me. I don't have a link for you, because it has to be based on your own local hospital needs, but here's a little background.

NICUs are really dreary in a lot of ways. There's a lot of pain, fear, trauma, and other awful feelings and experiences that sort of bring the place down. There are so many sick, tiny, fragile babies and parents whose good spirits are in a similar state.

There are many things you can do for a NICU, depending on the hospital's policies. One thing is just to donate. (You can also look at my March of Dimes post, and I will be posting about a local group that I am a part of later called Mommies Little Miracles. There are many such organizations across the country). Hospitals run through money fast, so a good idea is to host a fundraiser or drive or otherwise try to raise a good chunk of money. There are other little things you can do, though, that are really nice and mean a lot to parents. You can donate clothes, blankets, toys, mobiles, swings (AND BATTERIES!), or other infant things. Because these babies are so fragile, you probably don't want to give them your used things - germs get around fast in hospitals, and it's best to limit contamination. I remember one day I came into Elijah's room and their was a little gift bag with a really nice burp cloth wrapped in ribbon. I have no idea who gave it to me - there was no note or card - but it was such a sweet gesture that I will never forget it.

Some hospitals also allow volunteers to come hold babies, especially ones that need more attention than the nurses have time to give (Elijah benefited from many such volunteer visits. He would holler pretty loudly if you weren't paying attention to him!). The hospital might prefer former or current nurses to hold the babies, but you can check their policies. It doesn't take much to really brighten the day of a baby or parent who is enduring a NICU stay of any length, so please keep these families on your mind as you do your Christmas shopping.

Days 16 and 17

Day 16: ECHO

ECHO is an acronym that stands for "Emergency Care Help Organization." It operates in my home town and serves the needs of thousands of people who have encountered an unexpected emergency (Flood, theft, home loss or destruction... whatever has happened). "Since its inception in 1987, ECHO FL  has assisted over 109,000 individuals, over half of whom were children, with the basic life necessities."

Their mission: The mission statement on their website is "To continue serving people in need of food, clothing and small household items in times of an emergency." They come alongside families who are in sudden need, and they also have homelessness assistance for those with long term needs. 

What you can do: ECHO accepts monetary donations as well as food and material donations. You can also volunteer your time to their ECHO center. You can volunteer as an individual or as part of a larger group organization like your church, youth group, or community center (If you are a high school student or are the parent of a high school student in this area, this is a good way to get community service hours.) Please consider this ministry as you are preparing for Christmas with your family this year. There are many who have lost their homes or incomes this year who could really use some Christmas cheer this season. 

Day 17: Heifer International

Their mission: According to their website, Heifer International's mission "is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. [...] With gifts of livestock and training, Heifer projects help families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. We refer to the animals as "living loans" because in exchange for their livestock and training, families agree to give one of its animal's offspring to another family in need. It's called Passing on the Gift – a cornerstone of our mission that creates an ever-expanding network of hope and peace." In countries where owning livestock can make the difference between life and death, the gift of an animal can make all the difference to a family in need.

What you can do: You can make a monetary donation, or give even more by hosting a fundraiser or otherwise advocating and raising awareness in your community. Giving livestock animals provides eggs, milk, and a means of income to families who need it. Their holiday gift catalog gives you many options for what to donate: heifers, llamas, chickens, clean water access, stoves, and a host of other necessities.


  

Days 14 and 15

Well, I've been sick, so I fell behind, but here are days 14 and 15. I have the house to myself all morning, so I'll play a little catch up and see if I can get back on track.

Day 14: March of Dimes

Their mission: The March of Dimes is a research foundation and educational resource regarding pregnancy, prematurity, and birth defects (I obviously have personal reasons for promoting them). They raise awareness and funding for prematurity, prematurity prevention, and treatment for birth defects and newborn/infant illnesses. From their website: "We help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies. [...] In local communities across the country, we're helping moms take charge of their health, and supporting families when something goes wrong. The March of Dimes also acts globally: sharing best practices in perinatal health and helping improve birth outcomes where the needs are the most urgent." 

What you can do:  Donate or volunteer for the March of Dimes. You can also support the effort through advocacy and community networking and events.

Day 15: Global Hope Network International 

I love the vision of Global Hope Network. It is an organization that goes into the villages of developing nations and teaches sustainable agricultural and community-building techniques, which I think is pretty darn cool.

Their mission: From their website - "The vast, hidden majority of the world’s poorest people live in rural villages, where the vast majority of assistance never reaches. GHNI believes that it’s possible to bring not only sustainable transformation there, but also the accompanying hope of a better future, free from the perpetual cycle of poverty. Our core focus is helping villages transform themselves sustainably and holistically through our coaching-based method of Transformational Community Development (TCD). We often begin in an area by providing carefully targeted Disaster Relief in war zones or following natural disasters." Their approach for TCD is "to help villages achieve TCD Sustainability in five key areas:

Water - enough clean water for drinking, cooking and hand washing
Food - sufficient nutritious food to mitigate chronic hunger and malnutrition
Wellness - demonstration and training in critical sanitation, hygiene and disease-prevention measures
Income - startup resources for dignified and sustainable family income generation
Education – access to primary level education for every girl and boy"

 What you can do: You can make a donation or "adopt a village." If you are part of a church, civic center, or other group or community, you can advocate for your group to adopt a village by making an annual donation for the effort in a specific village. By adopting the village, your community gets direct updates about the efforts and improvements in that village, giving you the chance to build a relationship with them. 

Days 12 and 13

The holiday blogging project continues!

Day 12: The YMCA

Ok, so the Y is another non-sexy nonprofit, but I have a lot of reasons for really loving their work. One, they offer access to fitness facilities, child-care services, and health education at a rate that's affordable to anyone. Also, the values they support and implement have a wonderful effect on the communities around them, as they promote a "paying it forward" type of lifestyle.

Their mission: From their website, "The YMCA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all." The Y has three major focuses: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. They offer classes and sports programs for children, after-school and summer meal programs, and lots of health education projects. I consider the Y to be a great asset to any community they are a part of (which are many: there are over 2,600 YMCA facilities serving 10,000 communities).

What you can do: Well, you can join, for one thing. Just becoming a part of this community strengthens it, and it plugs you into the network. From there, you can have easy access to a lot of opportunities for charitable work and giving. You can also donate, volunteer, or become an advocate for the Y and the projects they do in your area.

Day 13: Beth-El

My first love is the Good Samaritan Mission, because I have found a home there in the friendships I made and the work I did there. However, if you are totally motivated by ministries that are focused on helping migrant farm-workers and their families, here's another great mission that also does a lot of great work.

Their mission: From their homepage,  "Beth-El Mission helps farm workers achieve self-sufficiency through its open opportunities to worship, its extensive educational programs, and the many services it provides to meet basic needs." While Good Samaritan offers more job-training and social services, Beth-El offers more school-related education. They host a bilingual charter school and an RCMA childcare program. They also offer adult education, health screenings, and legal services. They have campuses in the Florida towns of Wimauma, Immokalee, and Arcadia.


What you can do:  Their website has contact information for you to inquire about their immediate needs. You can donate financially or materially, and there are many volunteer opportunities.

Days 10 and 11

Day 10: Operation Smile

Operation Smile is a medical charity that performs surgery on children around the world to repair cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities. Some cases of cleft lip or palate are so severe that the children have difficulty eating and drinking, and in many societies they face terrible rejection.

Their mission: From their website, "We work to transform the lives of children who suffer from cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. Our approach to solving the problem globally distinguishes us and is leaving a lasting legacy — and a world of smiles." The surgeries they offer these children are free of charge to their families. The procedures are often very simple, and take as little as 45 minutes, but without this medical charity, these children would face their whole lives with debilitating deformities and no solution.

What you can do: Donate financially, volunteer as a community advocate and fundraiser, or, if you happen to be a member of the medical community, volunteer your time as a medical professional. They work they do for these children is wonderful, and what a gift to give these children to have a chance at normalcy. One surgery costs about $240, to give you an idea of what they can do. You can donate $240, or smaller increments, and they have a monthly donation option. Because of the generous volunteer time of medical professionals, they are able to give these children safe, high-quality surgical care at no cost to them.

Day 11: Bridge of Hope

Did I mention how much I love Gospel for Asia? I really love Gospel for Asia. Bridge of Hope is a program within Gospel for Asia that is specifically focused on children living in India's slums. K.P. Yohannan recently released a book called No Longer a Slumdog explaining the plight of these (often homeless or orphaned) children. Read this book and cry your eyes out. I was completely heartbroken. 

Their mission: Bridge of Hope centers are located in major slum areas in Asia. Their website explains these places: "According to the Human Rights Watch, bonded labor is life for over 10 million children in India. Calcutta alone is home to more than 100,000 street children who know neither mother nor father, love nor care. They are not just numbers or statistics—they are real children. Though nameless and faceless on the streets where they live, each one was created with love and is known by God. It is doubtful they've ever held a toothbrush or a bar of soap; they've never eaten an ice-cream cone or cradled a doll. The child laborers of South Asia toil in fireworks, carpet and match factories; quarries and coal mines; rice fields, tea plantations and pastures, and even brothels. Because they are exposed to dust, toxic fumes, pesticides and disease, their health is compromised; their bodies are crippled from carrying heavy weights. Some are bonded laborers, enslaved to their tasks by family poverty."

A Bridge of Hope center offers education, medical care, a meal, and lessons about the Gospel of Christ to the children in these impoverished and oppresive situations.

What you can do:  Bridge of Hope students receive these blessings from monthly donations, which sponsor one child. $35 a month covers food, medical care, school supplies and lessons for one child. If you didn't eat out one time a month, an Asian child in abject poverty could have all of these things. It's definitely something to consider as the new year approaches.