Nothing is Small when We All Contribute

The following is the beginning of my vision of a project for people to get involved with by allowing for my host dad’s vision of a school to be fulfilled. My vision is to put this out on Facebook and through email and see if people would be up for getting involved.

It is a lovely sunny African night as we just finished up dinner and cleaning up. My African siblings are outside running around playing and enjoying taking pictures with my camera as they pop in and out of the house every so often pulling at my arm trying to get me to play with them. Usually as a nightly routine I would already be outside before they could even ask me to join them as playing games with my siblings holds some of the greatest memories of my Study abroad experience, but not this night. As I currently sit with my host dad as he shares what’s on his heart, his voice is filled with much zeal and his eyes have a deeply focused passion as if his vision to build a school for orphans was already fulfilled and he was staring directly at its completed stature. Through the real and hopeful explanation, I could almost see the school myself in his eyes.

Last Spring of 2011,I was blessed with the opportunity to spend a semester abroad through my school, Northwest Christian University, in Uganda, Africa as its been my dream to go since the 7th grade. The story above from only one of the many nights and conversations during my time there hasn’t left me since I have been back in America. That night my host dad didn’t ask for my help, as he was just sharing what he saw was desperately needed in his community and village. I told him that I wanted to help but not wanting to promise anything that I wasn’t going to be able to actually carry out, I told him that I didn’t know how much I could actually help, and would at least start with helping through prayer. His response which rings through my ears the most was:
“Nothing is small when we all contribute.”

You and I as individuals may be small by ourselves, but through some of the following listed ways, will you help to fulfill my host dad’s vision and ultimately allow for Ugandan orphans and young mothers to receive an education? Here are my thoughts: Every single one of us has something that they are good at, whether it's through our careers or a hobby we all have something. And all it takes is just one thing. Just one event. Just one idea. Just one check. Just one item sold. Just one garage sale. Just one bake sale. Just one running event. Just one quilt. Just one painting. Just one song. Just one step of action. JUST ONE >

As my Ugandan dad quoted, when all of these things are combined they can in turn build ONE school for hundreds of orphans. My Ugandan dad has a vision. With all of our gifts and our talents combined, we can make a difference and in turn change lives.

I have seen the passion in my Ugandan dad’s eyes as he shared with me his vision for the school. And if you don’t have the time and money ( I understand, as I am a college student working on paying off loans and in my last semester of classes as well),I have put hand-made donation cans in local stores believing that Everyone’s change can make a change. So, if you will help by putting a donation can out at your work or around your local stores, I can send you the donation skirt through the mail. All you will need to do is attach it to a can or jar and place it in an area where it can attract change. The sum of the idea is to believe that Change WILL make a change in the lives of women and children in Mukono, Uganda. Don’t forget that we all have something and it would be awesome if you would join in to help change the lives of the 25,000,000 orphans in Uganda. These are all specific individuals like you and me with dreams and goals, but who are unable to attain them without the proper education and without our help.

It has been over a year now since my host dad shared his vision that night, and as the the passion in his voice and the vision in his eyes has been sitting and stirring inside my heart all this time, I have tasted some of the bitter truth that without right action and response to not only big visions like this, but in our every waking moment, they can and will just slip by if we let them.Together I fully believe that we can fulfill my Ugandan dad's vision. And all in God's timing the orphans and young mothers in the village will receive proper education and the ability to change their next generation.