As a child growing up, I watched my mother give freely from our home.
She had a big heart and everyone that met her noticed it immediately.
She gave so easily sometimes it caused us distress, a lot of my toys disappeared mysteriously.
Imagine going to school one morning to return to some strange child in my bedroom playing with my toys (which she had just declared was theirs) because someone always needed our items more than us.
But as I matured, I realized the importance of charity and the difference it made to the lives of both the giver and the recipient.
One evening, my mother took me on one of her ‘adventures’.
We pulled up in front of a small white plantation styled home.
I automatically assumed were going to visit with whomever was inside.
Taking the direction of the staircase, my mom quickly pulled me towards the galvanized gate to the left of it.
Pushing it open, there stood a wooden home in complete shambles. With just an old curtain for a door, this house was home to a single mother and her four teenage daughters.
That evening, at age 10, I got a taste of what abject poverty looked like; holes in the roof, slopped flooring, tattered clothes neatly folded in one corner, homework being done by candlelight, no furniture. All had to sit on the floor. There was one mattress that was propped in another corner for sleeping.
Behind this derelict building was a makeshift kitchen, the few pots owned were covered with a bedsheet to provide some protection from the elements with a crumbling outdoor shower and toilet a few feet away.
We were there to handover groceries, clothing, etc. but they taught me a lot in that single visit. I remember every detail, almost thirty years later and I am forever grateful to my mom for showing me how thankful and grateful we should all be.
I shared this story to illuminate the need for all parents to nurture our nature, that caring spirit that we were all born with.
That desire to serve and love our neighbor.
It is said that charity begins at home…But is it really so? We as God’s greatest creation posses an innate desire to do good.
Have you ever witnessed a child trying to comfort someone who appears to be sad or hurt? It’s instinctive, engrained in our DNA.
However, as we enter this world we are bombarded with several challenges and stimuli, both good and not so good.
So, as parents we not only guide our kids towards excellence but we are charged with the task of caring for them. How we must be a counter balance and so a light unto this world by doing good.
We pour our faith, love and hope into them so that will one day, they in turn will add value to our society as a whole.
Even as the world seems to be shaken by ever erupting volcanoes, tsunamis, COVID-19 and all the chaos it has brought with it, now can be the ideal opportunity to start lessons about the importance of charity.
Actions speak louder than words. Here are some activities you can get your child/children involved in:
- Talk about it before- take your child with you to help someone in need.
- Birthdays aren’t just for the birthday girl/boy, liaise with orphanages that share the same birth dates and invite them over.
- Think of charity as a skill set ( reward accordingly)- please be careful here. You don’t want them to be ‘good’ for the sake of being rewarded.
- Donate Blood- older teens can go with parents to blood banks to donate to the most dire cases.
- Join a charity together/ visit or adopt an orphanage or seniors home or hospital ward- allow a friendship to build. Some of our elders are quite lonely! Interrupt their anxiety with gratitude.
- Get her/ his class involved – use attainable goals. Let your munchkins decide how much to collect, when to give, what to give (books, toys) etc.
- Start a charity piggy bank ( pick up groceries for the homeless shelter while family shopping)
- Keep a gratitude journal – record any good deeds. Parents can track their child’s progress from year to year.
Laptops for Learning
In keeping with our attitude of gratitude. We are embarking on a new mission Laptops 4 Life to assist children without access to online learning. Thousands of children have fallen through the cracks because their parents have no money to facilitate the purchase of laptops or tablets to ensure their continued learning. Unfortunately we see kids in markets hustling alongside parents, posted outside of supermarkets begging a dollar when they should be attending online classes.
Our philosophy is not to bombard you by screaming… donate here! donate now! Yes we do need your help but we would like to give you something in return. Feel free to visit our store to make purchases. Don’t worry… more designs will be added as we expand!
To those who do not wish to make a purchase and would simply like to donate, you can visit our fundme page ( our preference due to better processing fees) or you can use our PayPal button below. We thank you in advance for your support!
If you would like to help us in other ways, please reach out to us. Follow us to be notified of new posts as this initiative grows. Thank you so much for contributing to our cause.
P.S if you know of anyone who has successfully set up a foodbank, please reach out to us as well.
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