DONATIONS: Remember the Poor

While I thought my journey of giving began with feeding the hungry, it took me a couple days to realize it actually started the weekend before on my birthday. It wasn’t a plan, in fact it wasn’t even a conscious thought. But, when I got a call from a friend in Africa. This dear unrelated-to-me sister has never asked me for money. Which if you have friends who live in a poor country, that's very rare. She just wanted to hear my voice again. By the end of the call, I felt the nudge to send her a love offering. It wasn’t until I looked back on that act that I realized I didn’t start my journey in the in Actions but actually in giving. 

1. EFFORT:  
No real effort required.  

2. TIME:
Ten-fifteen minutes at a local money exchange.

3. MONEY:  

• Cash you can afford.
• Transfer fee.

4. EXAMPLE:  
Whether it's sponsoring a child through a monthly pledge or giving alms to the homeless, the US is known for being a very giving country. I'd like to emphasize that pulling out our pocketbooks is important; it shouldn’t be our default. If we relegate the poor to a line item in our budget, we miss understanding their total needs and risk losing an empathetic eye for them. 

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