Devastating Times...

We live in very desperate and devastating times. 1 BILLION are hungry ~ millions are trafficked in slavery, and pandemic diseases are gouging entire nations. Each year nearly 2 million children are exploited in the global commercial sex trade. And in the five minutes it took you to read this post almost ninety children died of preventable diseases. More than half of all Africans do not have access to modern health facilities. As a result, 10 million of them die each year from diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria, and measles. Many of those deaths could be prevented by just ONE SHOT!
Yet in the midst of the wreckage, here we stand or sit, comfortable and pretending these things aren't happening. We all have a one of a kind glorious life and a once in history opportunity to reach out and help!
Ours in the wealthiest generation of multi-faceted religions. We are bright, educated and experienced. We can travel around the world in twenty-four hours (if there are no delays) or send a message in a millisecond. We have the most sophisticated research and medicines at the tips of our fingers. We have ample resources. A mere 2 percent of the world's grain harvest would be enough, if shared, to erase the problems of hunger and malnutrition around the world. There is enough food on the planet to offer every person 2500 calories of sustenance a day. WE HAVE enough food to feed the hungry. The problem is NOT in supply; the problem in in the distribution. God has given this generation OUR generation everything we need to alter the course of human suffering.
We can't just snap our fingers and expect the grain to flow across the borders or governments to permit foreign adoptions. Policies stalemate the best of efforts. International relations are strained. Corrupt officials snag the systems ~ I get that...I have seen it AND I am doing something about it.
Traveling several times a year to Tanzania is not easy. I leave my family, my life, the things that mean the most to me but I also know that I can. I have a family who sees that if I don't who else will? I have seen hunger, thirst, poverty, sadness, health issues that I can't even explain and if I walk away and said that I will leave this to someone else to handle would be wrong and surely I would be letting myself along with all those that need our help down as well.
We can build a bridge of love between our worlds ~ let us join hands together and do something...anything...if we start now, we will make a difference and our world will begin to heal...one belly at a time.

Until next time~

Cheers!

Friend of Education Award.

I want to humbly Thank Dr. Keith Marty the superintendent of the school district of Menomonee Falls for honoring me with the Friend of Education award. When I received his letter, I was speechless. I have to admit, before I traveled to Tanzania I had no idea what hunger/starvation truly looked like ~ I did know that I needed to help, but could not do it alone. The saying "it takes a village to help a village" became the focus for me. My focus was not only on serving and helping the people in Tanzania but also helping those of us in America who live in the land of plenty to understand global needs. The food "packathons" were the way to make this happen.

The award that was presented to me this evening is a true testament of the focus of our school district. They are supporting the efforts to help a country that can't help themselves...and along with that, I will teach through photo's, and first hand experience how everyone is helping us conquer the hunger need. By nourishing our three villages in Tanzania we are giving them another day to live, love and feel hope.

I encourage all school districts nationwide to help us "Build a bridge of love between our worlds" We can educate the youngest minds on how simple it is to make a true difference in the lives of millions of people who suffer so great on a daily basis. We look forward to hearing from you...

Until next time~

Cheers!

Lunch and Learn.

In my deepest Thanks, I had all the children from Valley View who participated in the Packathon join me for Pizza lunch yesterday ~ WOW can I just say how much I LEARNED from these young children. I sat with a group of boys (all in 5th grade) that were just bubbling over the top with excitement for the pack we just had at Menomonee Falls High School on Saturday November 6th!! One boy told me: "My Mom and I LOVED being at the pack, we were there last year and again this year and one of the neatest things was I made 2 new friends, we worked in a team and had a blast" This young boy will never know how much that meant to me to hear this. When I think about packathons, I don't want people to feel like they "have to" do this, I want them to come to have fun and learn. It was then another young boy sitting next to me said: "I came with my Mom and sister and we learned so much about this food that our hands were going to help someones belly" yet again I was humbled. The things they were sharing with me were coming from their heart and I knew it.

I learned so much about our young children. I also had the opportunity to just "hang" with them while we ate our pizza. It was also an honor for me to have some time to talk to the teachers and principle of Valley View. What a wonderful school being led by some of the BEST teachers and wonderful principle!!

Keep up the good work Valley View ~

Until next time~

Cheers!

Thank you Crosspoint Church

Simple Hope was asked to speak at the "Mission Dinner" at Crosspoint Church in Oconomowoc. It was an honor and blessing to be in the company of so many great people doing mission work ALL over our world!! Missionaries and speakers from Chile, Dominican Republic, Swaziland, Gulf Shores, New York to name a few were all speaking about the great work that is happening. I was so encouraged to see so many willing to step out of their "normal" lives to help others in so much greater need.

Crosspoint has joined Simple Hope as mission partners. We will have the opportunity to package food at their church on Saturday March 19th from 8:00a.m. until 2:00p.m What a blessing for us to help others learn about the plight of our dear brothers and sisters in Tanzania. Crosspoint has wonderful leaders in their church. They understand missions and how if we all work together we can accomplish more than if we do it on our own!! More helping hands make a lighter load~ let us all remember this in the days and weeks ahead.

Until next time~

Cheers!

Packathon Success at MFHS!

There are no words to describe the wonderful success we had at Menomonee Falls High School yesterday!! God has truly blessed Simple Hope and the loving friends that are helping us to help the "least of the least" in Tanzania Africa.

We had hundreds come out to help us package the nutritious food that will be sent to our three villages who desperately need this food. I kept thinking that each and every person who came to help was a true HERO!! Heroes are individuals who give of their time selflessly to help others in need!! 60,000+ meals were packaged with hearts and hands that care so much about helping those that don't have what they need on a daily basis. This food WILL save their lives!

It is so easy to think that others will help these wonderful people in Tanzania but the fact is, nobody else IS helping them. It is because YOU are giving of your time and resources that we truly will "Build a bridge of love between our worlds" and we saw that with every volunteer that gave of their time yesterday.

Thank you is not enough, but perhaps the joy you have seen in the people that have received our food will comfort you in knowing your hour made a true difference.

Until next time~

Cheers!