Thursday, July 9, 2009

Inspiration


I should be sleeping right now...early curtain call tomorrow at the gym, but I can't lay my head down yet because the most incredible thing has happened. The last little while there has been some upset in our lives because of some family things going on and on top of that alot of repeated rejection with the child sponsorship. So needless to say my flame and passion were nearly extinguished. I have been struggling with how cruel some individuals can be to people that they love and just generally feeling really discouraged.

I'm not sure what happened, but I think God just gave me a wake up call in the last 48 hours. In the past 2 days strangers that I have never met have sponsored 8 children. This is due in part to the incredible friends that I have been blessed with in my life. Karen Waggoner, who is an incredible woman, mentioned it to her friends and the next thing you know, Brenda Reynolds is emailing me that she is going to sponsor 2 children. I had to have a little cry on that one. Brenda has no idea how much she has changed those childrens lives but she is also responsible for touching mine. Brenda, you are an incredible person and I hope that many are inspired by you...I know that I am. Karen....thank you so much!

Tonight...what can I say about tonight? Wow!!!! Leanne Struve...we have had a truly long friendship and very different one in that for a few years we lost touch and then reconnected and it was like no time had passed at all. Leanne you are my kindred spirit in that we share the same passions with most things and in your presence I can be myself. I have shared my heart and soul with you along with much pain and happiness in the last 20 years. I owe you so much and all I have to offer is my friendship...I hope that is enough...for now! Tonight the most incredible miracle happened. Leanne invited Carol and I to Angie and Ed Lafavor's house because it was their Thursday small group gathering, and it was there we met the most incredible people. We went with 4 children needing sponsorship and left with 6 being sponsored. What struck me the most though was how sincere,kind,caring,giving and loving everyone in the room was. There was an incredible energy and love in that room tonight and it was infectious.

I believe that a very special thanks needs to be said to:

Leanne and Doug Struve
Angie and Ed Lafavor
Jim Hustins
Joan and Ron Szepefy
Sergio and Anna Garcia
Les and Brenda Lund

The outpouring of your compassion and caring tonight has really touch me and I will never forget it. As we meet your children in Rwanda I hope I can convey to them how amazing their sponsors are and how much they will be loved. You are all a true inspiration to Carol and I. And to everyone else that was there, you have touched our lives just as much because of your kindness and consideration of what we told you tonight. I think it is safe to say that all of our hearts were stirred tonight and I truly thank God for that.

This trip has been a roller coaster ride of emotions and we haven't even got there yet, but it has been a wonderful learning curve full of inspirational people. These last 48 hours have really reillustrated to me that this is my passion and what I was meant to do and I am not going to let anything get in my way of helping those in need. I am so rich tonight as I count my blessings in the form of my friends and strangers that have touched my life. There are no words to thank you enough.