Keeping Christmas

Love this poem by Henry Van Dyke:

It is a good thing to observe Christmas day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when men agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps one to feel the supremacy of the common life over the individual life. It reminds a man to set his own little watch, now and then, by the great clock of humanity which runs on sun time.

But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas.

Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellow-men are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness--are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and the desires of little children; to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear on their hearts; to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open--are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world--stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death--and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas.

And if you keep it for a day, why not always?

Listening to a Prophet's Voice

We feel so blessed to have a living prophet of God on the earth today!  Though our church's semi-annual conference is broadcast across the globe, Corbin and I were very grateful for the opportunity to attend and hear our prophet and apostles speak in person.  What a wonderful, peaceful atmosphere it was!

As we were walking out, Corbin asked me what my favorite part was and both of us agreed our favorite talk that morning was given by President Henry B Eyring.  It was all about serving the poor and the needy, confirmation of everything I try to do and to teach my children.  I am really grateful to see our church putting such an emphasis on serving, because that is how we can truly become more like Christ.  Corbin and I also talked about out favorite stories and anecdotes that were shared.  He was such a great companion.  And I am such a lucky mom!

The Conference Center where we were seats 21,000 people and yet it was amazing how calm the exodus was and what a great feeling pervaded the whole event.  Feeling that, hearing the Mormon Taberbacle choir, being so close to the Prophet - I don't think there is anything else like it in the world!

Friendship Bread

For our March service project we decided to spread the love with our Amish Friendship Bread that we had been feeding and tending for a few weeks. 

We took our four starter bags and turned them into sixteen more.  The boys had fun mixing and squishing the ingredients in the bag.

 

They had even more fun deciding who they would share it with.  We gave starters and loaves of bread to friends, primary teachers, neighbors and school teachers.  

The boys loved running up to the door and delivering their goodies.  I hope everyone else kept the friendship going - or at least enjoyed some yummy bread!

Service made easy

Martin Luther King Jr Day.  No School.  What to do? 

BYU hosts a community service day every year.  Perfect fun we can feel good about.  After hearing from the first black, female mayor in Utah and one of the BYU football players, 800+ people split to work on all different kinds of projects.  You can read more about it in this article (where we are even mentoned!).  Some people headed out into the community, but there were plenty of projects set up on campus to keep us busy.

We started off making cards for our soldiers serving abroad.  I didn't get any pictures, but Cody made a great American flag and Corbin made "Happy New Year" and "Happy Valentine's Day" cards.  Colton had fun tracing his hand for his "Thank you" cards.  It was a perfect project for any age!  (And as a side note, while we were sitting at this table, I met a family who is moving to Uganda in a few weeks.  I was so excited for them!)

Next, Grandma & Corbin worked on making dress up clothes for the Head Start Preschool. 

They ended up with a very cute tutu, which Corbin was kind enough to model for me.

While they worked on that, the little boys and I headed to a different room to make hand puppets to be sent around the world.  We made a penguin, a tiger, and a piggy.  Cody did a great job! 

Colton did help every now and then, but mostly kept busy with the all-you-can-eat donuts.  :)

We ended in another room where they were working on several other projects for different community groups.  It was a very successful day and we are so glad Grandma Jill was here to go with us! And I got some great ideas for our next summer of service!  We are so grateful for MLK and for this opportunity to serve!

Summer Plans . . .

Things we are definitely doing (aka. they are acutally on the calendar):

• Camping at Yuba Lake (haven't been there in years, so we'll see how it goes).
• Mom to El Salvador
• Ride the firetruck in the 4th of July Parade
• Camping at Grand Mesa (or somewhere thereabouts) with my sister's fam
• Fiesta Days Children's Festival (unfortunately it is the same day as Llama fest this year, either we will have to choose or that will be one full day of fun!)
• Celebrate my Mother-in-law's 60th birthday
• Annual Bear Lake camping trip with Russ's fam
• Celebrate the Pioneer Day (It's a state holiday in Utah, in case you are unfamiliar)
• Road trip across Oregon

Other things we will do, because we usually do:

• Seven Peaks
• Spend the day fishing and swimming at Payson Lakes
• boating on Utah Lake, or maybe Deer Creek
• Payson Pool - it's cool, you should check it out.
• Rodeo - Lehi Round up, Fiesta Days, or the "big one" in SLC
• Fiesta Days festivities
• Payson City Onion Days (the morning that they have the free kids stuff is best)

Things I really want to do and am (mostly) planning on doing:

• Build or buy a playset
• Llama Fest
• Spanish Fork Community Theater's production of The Music Man (we have lots of friends that we will be watching!)

Things that I would like to say I am going to do (but by the end of the summer I may have forgotten that I wanted to or maybe I could just never fit it in):

• Moonlit ride up the Sundance lift.
• Trafalga - mini golfing, go karts, etc.
• Lavender Days in Mona
• Visit the Thanksgiving Point Gardens (although I am SO un-inclined to pay such a high price to ooh and aah at nature)
• Utah Valley Parade of homes (though this one is doubtful, because it starts two days before I leave for El Sal and will be over by the time I get back. hmm)
• Float down the Provo River
• Camping at Cherry Hill

The biggest thing we will be doing this summer (as in the thing that has taken up most of my attention and will require much planning and effort on my part) will be our "Summer of Service".  You can read about it here, but understand that that blog is very much a work in progress.  But since summer is starting, I had to just jump in and do it.  No going back now.  Wish us luck!

Oh, and, any other suggestions of things not to miss this summer?

Date for a Cause

For our date this month, Corbin and I went to a fundraising dinner at the Food & Care Coalition.  And yes, he was just as excited about it as I was.  We went to support a friend of mine who will be working with Rising Star Outreach in India this summer.  It was a fun night - they had a raffle and performers and we ate yummy indian food from India Palace (if you've never been there, you should go - it's inexpensive, authentic, and we love the owners).  Corbin was the perfect date.  He enjoyed it and we had a great conversation on the way home.  Sometimes I worry that I am overburdening his little heart with all these stories of sadness around the world, but I have a feeling that he and I are going to accomplish great things in his lifetime.  I love this kid!

In just a few short years since their inception, Rising Star Outreach has done amazing things for those suffering from leprosy.  There are over a million people in India that suffer from this disease, and the saddest part is the fact that they and their children are shunned from society, and even from their families.  They are most often forced into begging as they are rejected from work and from all other agencies that might help them.  I highly encourage you to take a look at what they do, if only to feel good that someone has taken the initiative to help these most desperate of God's children.  Check it out at risingstaroutreach.org.

And I'm not a fan of David Archuleta, but I applaud any star who attaches their name to something beneficial.  Pause the music below and enjoy the video.

Why is there a "V" today?

This morning Corbin checked his lunch menu as he does everyday to see if he likes what they are having at school, or if he needs to bring lunch from home; then he asked "Why is there a big "V" on today?" I remembered today was Veteran's Day and he said "Oh yeah, we're singing to all the army guys today". I asked him if he knew what Veteran's Day was all about . . . "uh, no, not really". So I gave him the short version. Tonight we will talk more about what it means and why we are so blessed to have people that are willing to serve.

I will tell him about his Grandma, who recently passed away, and his Grandpa who served in World War II.

I will tell him of Colton's namesake, his great-grandpa, who left this earth the day Colton was born, and who also served with pride in the U.S. Army during World War II.

If we were in Denver, I would take my children to Fort Logan Cemetary and show them, along with their family members, all the people who have given their lives in service of this great country.

We will talk about our neighbor who recently returned from Afghanistan, and his friends' dad who is gone to training in preparation for their move overseas. Sometimes I think that I have it hard since my husband is only home a few nights a week, or a few days a month - but then I think about all the military wives who have sacrificed so much more (click here for a great article entitled "Lessons from a Military Wife").

For years I was apathetic and mostly ignorant about those who serve and fight for our country, but as I learn more, read more, and talk with people more about it, I have come to have a different and more sympathetic outlook. I have so much respect and gratitude for those who serve in whatever capacity - policeman, firefighters, military, coast guard, etc. Thank you for your selflessness!

And you thought YOU were a young mother

Another HELP story . . . better pull out the tissues.

One place HELP international works in El Salvador is the CIPI orphanage. CIPI, which stands for "Centro Infantil de Protección Inmediata" (Center for the Immediate Protection of the Youth), houses orphans and young mothers. HELP volunteers have spent many hours preparing activities, visiting the orphans, teaching life-skills, bringing them books, etc. An especially meaningful project was a support group HELP established for the young mothers at CIPI. Some of these mothers are as young as eleven, many of them victims of rape. They live at the CIPI with their babies temporarily, until they can find support from family or be prepared to live on their own. The mothers enjoy spending time with HELP volunteers, because of the non-judegemental love and encouragement they provide.

2008 volunteer, Stephanie Blood, had the opportunity to serve these girls and said that it was an unforgettable experience. “The girls were so sweet. They took care of each other and each others babies and shared everything.”

She and other volunteers planned weekly activities and taught valuable life skills including: infant care, nutrition, empowerment, and goal-setting. One day they had an activity with fruits and vegetables where they taught the girls the importance of healthy diets. Afterwards they made faces with the fruits, vegetables, and peanut butter. Another time, they planned a day of water balloon volleyball. HELP volunteers took care of the babies while the girls played.

Stephanie says, “Sometimes it was good to give the girls opportunities to just have fun and be girls which was so great for them because they have had to deal with so many huge responsibilities at such a young age.”

Of all of the activities they did together, one that stood out to 2008 volunteer, Whitney Smith, was square-foot gardening. It gave the mothers a sense of accomplishment and a skill they can use for the rest of their lives.

"We wanted the young mothers to feel like they owned the project, so we helped gather the supplies, showed them what to do, and let them do it,” said Whitney. “They were so excited and really worked hard! The girls dug out a spot for the garden, sifted sand, made a rock wall around the garden, put in posts, tied string to partition the garden into sections, and planted and watered the seeds. It was really fun to see the girls succeed."

The gardening technique uses one-third of the water and land and produces three times the yield of traditional gardening. Using this method, the girls have a way to grow vegetables for themselves and have excess to sell in the market.
The most important thing volunteers did there may have simply been talking to these young mothers, offering them love and support and letting the girls know that somebody cares about them. Stephanie said of her experience: “I wish I had stayed longer. I would wake up every morning thinking ‘I can’t believe this is my life right now!’ Every day you wake up ready to serve and just see what you can do for other people. It was the happiest I had been in years!”

HELP Story of the Month

Remember the organization I work with - HELP International? Well, here's our little PR story for this month. I don't know if this story will have he same meaning for you as it does for me, but after having worked at this orphanage several times over a few years, I feel like I have seen some of these kids grow up and it just drives it home that they really will spend their entire lives in this institution. I am so glad that we have volunteers there year-round now. I have seen the difference it makes! Enjoy this little feel good story . . .

While most newlyweds are saving up for their first house or spending money on extravagant honeymoons, just four months into their marriage Sam and Laura Webb spent their summer volunteering at Hogar del Niño, an orphanage for disabled children in El Salvador with approximately 140 residents. Not only were they not paid for their work, but they also funded their own travel and living expenses. “It was worth the money,” Sam says. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and this was the perfect time to make that sacrifice.”

Sam and Laura spent three months living in a small house on the orphanage property, teaching classes and playing with the children. Every day was filled with planning and activities. Though the activities may seem simple, Sam and Laura put thought and effort into every activity. “The hardest and most stressful part was the planning,” Laura says. “We had to come up with new and fun activities all the time.”

They planned multiple activities each day. In the mornings they played games with children with severe disabilities, afternoons were spent teaching classes to children with only moderate disabilities and every night was play time. While working at Hogar del Niño, Sam and Laura organized talent shows, glamour shots, a trash bag fashion show, a hunt for Bigfoot and pirate day—just to name a few. At first Sam and Laura were worried about coming up with new ideas, but soon realized the children did not care if they repeated activities. They were happy to have people to play with them. As Sam and Laura soon learned, a little love and attention went a long way at Hogar del Niño. For instance, something as simple as a hand-me-down bicycle is all it takes to make the dreams of a child come true.

For Roberto, a resident of Hogar del Niño, the nuns found him a bike for his 16th birthday. Although he did not know how to ride the bike and it was pink and purple, he immediately named his it the Speed Racer 6,000 and refused to let it out of his sight. He spent all day walking his bike around the grounds. Eventually training wheels were added to his bike so he could ride. He announced to everyone before pedaling away, “Watch out, I'm going to increase my speed!”

“You'll never meet more fun kids,” Laura says. “They are well cared for, but the orphanage is understaffed so the children rarely get personal attention.”

The Hogar del Nino Orphanage in El Salvador was founded in 1986 by a Catholic priest named Padre Vito Guarato. It currently serves as a home for 138 persons with physical and mental disabilities. Residents of Hogar come as babies or young children and stay there for the rest of their lives. Unlike many orphanages in Central and South America, the Hogar is a safe, clean, and loving environment for the residents. However, the orphanage caregivers have their hands so full caring for the physical needs of the residents, that they cannot plan activities or spend time with individual children. Before HELP International partnered with Hogar, many of the residents spent all day every day sitting in their wheelchairs. For this reason, HELP International teamed up with Hogar del Niño in 2006 to send volunteers to live and serve in the orphanage.

“I gained a love for people with disabilities and more understanding of a whole different culture and had fun doing it,” Sam says.

To read more about our work at Hogar del Niño visit their blog at http://hogarproject.blogspot.com/ or click here to learn more about the program and how to get involved.

HELP

So you may be wondering why I fell off the grid for awhile, or maybe you didn't. But it has been quite awhile since I posted anything. Amid other activities and constantly trying to wrangle my three little hooligans, I participated in a planning retreat for the non-profit organization of which I serve on the board of trustees. It was really amazing. I love being a part of it. For all you blog stalkers out there who have been reading about my boys and know very little about me, I started working for HELP International about 4 and a half years ago. I took a hiatus after I had Cody, but they couldn't live without me so I agreed to go back. It was the absolute best job for several reasons; 1-I could make my own hours, 2-It actually fit with my degree, and 3-I was truly passionate about what I was doing. Before I had Colton, I decided I wanted to direct my full attention to my family, so they voted me onto the Board. Now I just get to be a part of the good stuff without having to worry about the day to day junk. So now you are asking "what the heck is HELP International anyway?"

(At this point I just have to make a side note: Do not attempt to look up their website, it is quite pitiful and I am somewhat ashamed of it. We began creating a new website several months ago and in the interim - supposedly 2-3 weeks - had a volunteer put up this basic website. Well, in the world of non-profit, some things just get pushed to the wayside and for us, this year, the website was just one of them. However, the new one should be up and running around the middle of next month - so I will give you the go ahead when it is okay to check it out. Until then, you will just have to read this blog for what it is.)

So back to the original discussion, HELP International is a non-profit organization started 10 years ago by a group of ambitious college students and one crazy professor. The goal of HELP International is to assist the poor of the developing nations to improve their quality of life while developing competent student and community leaders for tomorrow's continued fight against poverty. HELP focuses international development and social entrepreneurship. Formally, the mission is to provide a life changing experience through service to the poor. We accomplish this by recruiting and training college-age volunteers who then work to achieve sustainable development with our local partner organizations in Uganda, Guatemala, or El Salvador.

The following are accomplishments of this summer alone:

• 65 homes visited with personal health instruction
• 170 graduates form English training courses
• 190 graduates from business training courses
• 500 graduates from teacher training courses
• 420 stoves built with cement and chimneys supplied
• 600 people with access to new square foot gardens
• 3 school rooms constructed
• 6 showers constructed for HIV/AIDS positive individuals
• 1 playground constructed
• 1 chicken coupe constructed
• 1 pig pen constructed
• 1 computer lab constructed with 4 computers donated and installed
• 3 libraries constructed with over 1000 books donated
• 100 school kits donated
• 100 hygiene kits donated
• 3 wheelchairs, 2 standing frames, and 1 sitting frame donated to children with disabilities
• 6 mattresses and covers donated to needy families
• 1000's of hours spent with orphans, street children, disabled kids and adults, teen mothers, and other abandoned children
• 89+ social entrepreneurs created, young adults from up and coming generation who now have a better understanding of their world and the difference that they can make

I know that alot of these are just numbers, but all of these numbers have faces - individual faces of people whose lives were changed this summer. I am so proud to be a part of this organization and hope that I can continue do serve and work to alleviate poverty for the rest of my life.

Stay tuned with a box of tissues for the real-life stories that go with all these numbers . . .