A Lot To Think About...(and even more to DO about it)

So...where to begin? I just read this book. It was the perfect book for me to pick up and start reading. The author writes from her heart and you can feel her passion about serving others. The thing is, she is not preachy, doesn't come from a place where it is easy for her to serve (she is a stay at home mother of three after all), and yet she explains how we can all make a difference.

Global Soccer Mom tells the personal story of Shayne Moore. She realized that together we really can make a difference in this world.

After returning home from Ethiopia, I felt so great. I had survived the ups and downs of an international adoption. I had conquered my fear of leaving my three bio kids at home and traveling to a third world country, and I had experienced so much in the process. The thing is, I also felt a burden. I had a heavy heart. Part of my heart felt different. I am not complaining about this AT ALL. It was a burden that I liked because I was touched and moved by an entire group of people and I didn't want to forget them. I welcomed the change in my heart. The problem is, I came back to a world that did not experience the same things that I did.

It is VERY hard to understand the circumstances that saw with my own eyes. I have SEEN people laying on the side of a road- they are so sick that they just lay there. I have seen little kids (tiny kids...toddlers) beg for food without a grown up in sight- they are on their own. And don't even get me started on the exploitation of girls and women in developing countries...the extreme poverty they face often leads to abuse, disease, and death just because they are second class citizens. So, how do I wrestle with these feelings that I have now that I've returned to my "normal" life? That is the big question.A little girl we met who was on the road (without a grown up in sight).

In the book Global Soccer Mom, Shayne writes about her involvement in the ONE campaign and her work to fight AIDS across the globe. Many children that are adopted from Ethiopia have been impacted by the AIDS crisis. Our story is not different. Although we choose not to tell Grace's story to everyone we meet, it is no surprise that sickness and death impacted her life in such a way that it changed the course of her future. She is not HIV positive, but I am sure that many of the beautiful people of her village were affected by the devastation of AIDS.

The author talks about the people she met living with AIDS. Then she goes on to explain that "Two pills a day, that cost about 40 cents, can keep someone with HIV and AIDS alive and healthy." When 4,400 people die DAILY as a result of HIV/AIDS and 4,700 people become infected DAILY, how can we not pay attention? Part of Shayne's amazing story chronicles her involvement in the ONE campaign and the people she met along the way. The first person who literally "rocked" her world was Bono! She actually met him (among many other famous people-the book is a really good read...she has great stories about her travels around the world and how she was in the presence of some pretty impressive people). I loved what Bono says about the AIDS crisis. "...if 8,000 people were dying in Paris or New York from AIDS, we would be hearing about it on the news every night." Hmmm...yup. Imagine your own mother, sister, friend, or child dying of AIDS...wouldn't you fight for them to get treatment (especially for 40 cents a day)? Well, those dying in Africa ARE sisters, mothers, children, and friends to someone.

I can't even begin to share all of the great things I learned from Shayne's book. My entire book was marked up and full of pages with the corners turned over (I wanted to remember to go back and read so many parts over to really process them).

The bottom line of this book is that "There is no limit to what our one compassionate voice can do when it is shared with others in making the world a better place. (Shayne says) I am only one woman, with one voice, who lives in one town, and goes to one church- but all our "ones" add up. Together we can change the world."

So...my heart continues to be heavy (which I like). My blog says "Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it...but I'm afraid God might ask me the same question."

-Anonymous.

I am still trying to figure out what I am going to do to get involved. Is it going to be a mission trip with fellow adoptive moms and blog friends???? (any takers?), is is going to be making more bottle cap necklaces (a silly little project that has been able to raise over $2000 to change lives in Ethiopia)?, am I going to get involved in a global organization helping educate and provide resources to those effected by AIDS (hope so)? What about you? Any ideas? I would LOVE nothing more than to join forces with other moms who "get it." I believe that we really can make a huge difference together. It just stinks that when we come home from places like Ethiopia, "life" gets in the way and makes it more challenging to pursue the work that burdens our hearts. BUT, I know there are things that I can do (even with my crazy, busy life). Global Soccer Mom lists the ways we can help out...even if it is five minutes at a time.

Let me know if you have any ideas...I would LOVE to partner with you to make a difference!!!!!