Looking forward
Volunteering as a family - We can't recommend this enough. We are delighted that some of our friends have since planned family volunteer trips. For those who have questions, here's an article I wrote to help you find organizations to volunteer with and what that process entails. (http://fairfieldcountylook.com/index.php/lifestyle/1990-volunteering-as-family).
Helping a vulnerable child can transform their future - The World Vision children that we’ve been sponsoring, through financial support and writing letters, were so encouraged by this relationship. The donations and care were appreciated, but the children seemed even more grateful that we cared- that people from far away cared enough about them and their plight to help them. We hope that each of the 100+ children at Lily Orphanage might also have the blessings of a similar relationship through the Life Changers Program.
Opportunity to Change the Face of Orphanages - Helping to allleviate suffering is always a worthwhile cause, but sometimes, one finds an organization that not only addresses the root causes of the problem, but also has the vision to create a long-lasting solution. Lily Orphange is trying to build out that model. It is incorporating into its orphanage model, the ability to address the medical, emotional, educational, and vocational needs of its orphans, but in addition, it is coupling this with a self-sustaining business to help fund these critical needs. Its goal is to not only care for, nurture, educate its orphans, but ultimately give them the proper education, skills and tools to lift themselves out of a life of poverty. Ken and I have enjoyed working together with other volunteers on Lily Orphanage's hydroponic tomato business, which will ideally lead to the orphanage's self-sustainability.
http://www.valleyfresh.org/
