How Many Are Hungry?

Did you know that every five seconds, a child dies from hunger-related diseases?
Next week, on November 4th, we'll be at the Forum on World Hunger hosted by Bethel Temple in Hampton, VA.

A Mother's Influence

When we talk about TOUCH in Uganda, the program is synonymous with its founder, Sara Sebyala. The children there call her "Mama TOUCH" or "Mummy Sara". In the United States, Sara represents the children, sharing their stories and inspiring us to help with the task of raising so many hurting little ones.

After all, Sara has been doing this - caring for children orphaned or trapped by poverty and sickness and war - for over 13 years. The TOUCH program, you might say, is her "baby".

In a recent phone conversation, we talked about faith. She said to me, "Kay, the children are already here. They are hungry, They aren't eating at home. I have to have faith to feed them."

400 children x 2 meals a day = 800 meals a day
That's 24,000 meals a month
and 288,000 meals a year.

Every day, the children return to school. Education, they know, is important, but it is the food that keeps them coming. The food is vital to sustain them, but there is still one more important thing being dispensed at TOUCH - faith.

• Because Sara believes that God has placed these children into her care, she cannot turn them away.


• Because she cannot turn them away, she has to have faith that God will provide the food.


• Because she has faith that God will provide, she is able to love the children, instead of seeing them as a problem.


• Because she loves the children and does not see them as a problem, the children can see that God loves them, too.


• Because they see that God loves them, the children know that they have hope and a future.


• Because they know that they have hope and a future, the children's lives are changed from a mere daily existence to extending their own faith and love back into those around them.

We have seen the children comforting one another after parents die. We have seen them as eager helpers in school and in the community around them. They share the gospel. They tell what God has done for them. They pray like warriors.

This is the influence of Mama Sara and so many other women of faith. Let's take a moment today to look at our lives and see the people God has placed within our sphere of influence. Are we showing them Christ?

-Kay


I stole my blog title today from the post that inspired it - you can read Richele's post at the Internet Cafe - Richele wrote about another way our moms influence us, and she has a great prayer for all of us today as well.

America's Giving Challenge

Friends of TOUCH has entered in America's Giving Challenge, which gives us a chance to win $50,000!  Please donate today!

To win, between now and November 7th we have to get the most donations to our cause (every person can donate once per day and have it count as a unique donation). We can also win daily awards of $1,000 and $500 if we can get the most people to donate in any 24-hour period. The great thing about this Challenge is that it doesn't matter how much you give, but instead how much you do to encourage friends and family to get involved in our cause. We all need to come together and start promoting the cause if we want to win.

Each of us has tons of friends on Facebook who we can ask to donate to our cause. But let's think big too—can you put our cause in your email signature, can you throw a party and get people to donate through the cause when they enter, can you organize other people to go out and fundraise from all of their friends? As you reach out to your friends be sure to tell them why this cause matters to you. The possibilities are endless so let's talk about what we can do to win on the Facebook Wall or by replying to this bulletin.

Even if you don't have a Facebook account, you can still do this! Just choose the "Donate without Facebook" option.

I think we can do it! But it's going to take all of us. Check out the Giving Challenge ( www.causes.com ), then visit our cause to see how we're doing so far and get involved.

What can $50,000 do?

• Food for a year for 400 children


• Build a dorm building or a school building


• Send 1000 children to school

We'd really appreciate it if you'll donate right now by going to http://www.causes.com/donations/...

Remember - any amount counts toward the prize! Let's win $50,000 for the children!