Every 5

I never thought that I would have such a difficult time choosing my major. But doing Running Start really took things for a spin. When I signed up for RS, I assumed I would be getting done with college so much earlier then everyone else and that the work load would be lighter. I was proved wrong. We all know what assuming does. I originally signed up as a Children's Ministry major, and proceeded the next semester in what I would say were perhaps the best classes I would probably ever take. However after much toil and planning to make sure that I graduated on time, I was motivated to switch majors to what is currently titled Intercultural Studies. (This too is an incredible program : )) 

However, this blog post is not intended for complaining or to compel you to have pity on me. What happened that first semester as a Children's Ministry major, changed my life and hopefully is changing others too. 

Professor Gard. A new teacher, an incredible leader, a driven children's pastor, and rock solid woman of God. This teacher not only encouraged me to be the best possible version of myself but she would continually pour into the lives of each and every one of her students day in and day out. I was the girl who after her first day of classes was in tears due to fear of such a strong-willed professor, but by the end of the semester was the lady who gave her first 45 minutes presentation in class and felt confident to lead a group of kids to Jesus Christ. I was motivated, challenged and inspired. 

One day in class, Professor Gard was saying her closing thoughts and as she closed, she said these words, "I have a statistic for you, did you know that every 5 seconds, a child will die somewhere in the world due to starvation? Did you know that means, that in the last hour and ten minutes we've had in class together, over 840 children have died?" She told us that she was praying every day that one of us, just one, would grab a hold of a vision to seek and save children, and that we would run with it. She told us we would be amazed at how much just one person could do to literally change the world, if we would only be willing. 

I left class, walked to my dorm, and could not stop thinking about that very statistic all day long. It was nagging at me. It was almost talking to me saying, "find some way to make that awful percentage go down, do something, there has to be a way to fix that. That's just too many kids.....dying."

So I started planning. I thought about it, I dreamed about it, I woke up and talked about it. In class I drew logos for an event, I watched videos about starvation, I talked to my teachers and classmates; it was getting somewhere. What if? What if  that statistic could go down? No one wants to fight hunger though, it's such a massive epidemic, how do you even begin? 

"Well what about starting small?" I thought, "What would I  give to? I wouldn't give cash, I'm in college don't you know? I wouldn't write a check, I don't think I own a check book. I would give change though, I know I have that. It's everywhere; my car, under my bed, in old wallets, purses, bottom of drawers, it's everywhere. So there, that's what we'll do, we will give change, because an average household has about 90$ in change just lying around their house... did you know that?"

There you have it. Every 5th of the month I challenge you to give your loose change so that starving children can have a meal to eat and have the chance to actually live. 

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_209998109014470

Thanks for listening