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Two
years ago, due to complications of an autoimmune disease, I lost my eyesight.
Fortunately, I regained some vision, but I was no longer able to work.
Suddenly I had a lot of time on my hands. At first, I went through a
depression feeling that my life was empty and meaningless. Because I could
not do any of the things I used to do, I believed that my life had no purpose
and I wasn't much good to anybody anymore. God had other ideas!
Because I belonged to several online prayer chains, I received daily emails
requesting prayer for sick children. I decided to post their stories and
pictures on a web page in order to network with others who wanted to help
these kids too. In August of 2000, the Hugs and Hope Club for sick children
was born. What
began as a hobby has mushroomed into a full-time ministry. Since my website
(at www.hugsandhope.com) went up in October of 2000, I've received dozens of
emails each week from distraught parents begging me to put their child's
story on my site. And over 225 volunteers have signed up to receive updates
on the children and to send them 'happy mail.' The
website features children from all over the world and receives hundreds of
hits each day. It also features a message board so that families of the sick
children may communicate with each other, sharing ideas and encouragement.
Before I began this project, the long, lonely days dragged by for me. Now
there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to do all that I want to do
for these families; and I spend many hours each day on the Internet sending
encouraging emails to parents, creating web pages for the children's stories,
updating the volunteer letter writers, or emailing organizations to ask them
to help families of children like Nathan. He and his little brother both have
the fatal Batten's Disease. Their parents are desperately trying to raise the
$100,000 they need each month for medical treatment to save their boys. It
really is true that when God closes a door, He opens a window. That's what
happened for me. I thought when I became disabled that I was no longer able
to accomplish anything worthwhile, but I believe that I am now doing the MOST
worthwhile work of my entire life. Instead of feeling bad about what I can no
longer do, I concentrate on helping others and glorifying God in each little
thing that I CAN do. I do the best I can and leave the rest to God. You may
have a lot of problems of your own. If so, the best thing you can do is
forget about them and focus on someone else's problems. As I read somewhere
once, 'pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.' Sure you will have pain,
but you don't need to wallow in it. You don't have to be miserable, no matter
what your situation. When you take your mind off of it, and concentrate on bringing
joy to others, you will feel great! When your focus is on bringing happiness
to others, without even realizing it, you bring happiness to yourself. The
response to my meager effort has been phenomenal. Musicians from around the
country have contributed tapes and CD's of children's music and organized
benefit concerts, publishers and authors donate children's books, quilters
and sewers make hand made quilts, angels, and teddy bears, and youth groups
work together and send out hundreds of hand made cards. Anyone can help a sick child is some
way. Whatever your talent, you can use it to benefit suffering children or
their families. Whether it's creating graphics for a website, organizing
benefits to raise medical funds, or just sending an encouraging note to a
discouraged parent or a Barney video to a child undergoing chemotherapy. It
all helps, and it all makes a difference in the lives of these
children. And the joy of giving to these helpless little ones is
more rewarding than anything else I've ever done. One of my favorite
quotations is from Bernie Siegel, 'Love is deep involvement with another. If
you say that you don't get back as much as you given, then you are not really
loving. Love doesn't measure. It just gives.' Love and happiness remind me of
sticky peanut butter. When you spread them around, you always end up getting
some on yourself. If you want to spread a little love and joy, log on to http://www.hugsandhope.com/.
I guarantee you can't help getting some on yourself too! |
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