A gift that keeps on giving: CARE

Year after year since the day we got married, my husband and I use our anniversary as a vacation away from it all. We have visited various countries and this year we visited Guatemala.

Guatemala is truly beautiful. It has  one of the best views all around, but one of the places we traveled really struck me. The mama in me, I should say.

We travel to Pana hatchel. A beautiful little town in the middle of the mountains and volcanoes. As you walk the main street of this town at any time of the day a child will come up to you selling something. It doesn't matter what but that's their job and they'll figure out what and  how to do it.  I had seen this before in a few of the places we visited, but this time as a mother it hit me even more. How these kids don't go to school, how these kids need to work, and the fact that because they are so use to it, it was normal for them.

Maybe is the fact that we have been in the civilized US for too long, comfortable in our house and with everything around us but this shook me. How can a child not attend school?

One  morning as we sat on a boat overlooking the lake and volcanoes around us, driven by a teen I should state, I saw it as a parent. I saw the heartache of a parent and the huge sacrifice it must be for them. To put their kids to work to be able to meet their needs. I can't even fathom being in their shoes. How hard it must really be.
That day as we were going back to our hotel Lester and I decided to make this Christmas different. This year, we will finally do many of the things we have been talking about and never doing it.

Here is our list and I hope that you feel inspired enough to go out there and join us!

1. Pass our gloves and blankets to the people in the streets.
            Gloves and scarfs are currently .99 cent wherever you go. Buy a few and pass them out. Houston doesn't really get super cold but being out in the streets every single bit can and will help.

2. Spend more time with family, as they are the true meaning of this season.
         Sit to eat together, talk about your days, make that special trip to grandma's house and enjoy them. Every.single.bit. of. them.

3. Share and learn more about the love of God
         Is so easy to get caught up in giving the perfect toy or leggo set that we forget that this season is to learn about the One that gave it all for us. Visit your local church and embrace His love for us

4. Send a gift through CARE.
        This kind of works together with # 3. Learning more about the love of God will bring you here. Giving to others as is more important to give than receiving.
It's easy as adults to comprehend this but for kids is a little more difficult. I'm happy to say that CARE thought about that.

 CARE is a program that allows you to help and improve someone else's life from your home. They help girls and women get a chance to a better life. You could do this in someone's name and gift them this amazing gift.
 The CARE team in Malawi will introduce you to girls like Alinafe, Evelisi and Maliyana who dreams of being a strong woman, like her mama.

CARE allows you to the impact of giving, they allow you to see and really understand this giving season.
What makes it more special is that you can do this with your children. Let the choose from a goat all the way to a water well and let them see their gift in action.

CARE is having a special live event on Facebook now through Dec 16 where you can actually meet some of the girls that benefit from this program.

I invite you to take a look, to join the movement and feel the need and take advantage of the opportunity of teaching our generations the act of kindness and giving.

Check CARE out for more ideas as to how you can help, and share with me what you want to teach your kids this holiday season