My church has a new initiative to help refugees and others in need world wide. It's called "I was a Stranger". You can visit the site where they give ideas on what to do to help. I'm blogging to give more ideas, using Iwasastranger.lds.org as inspiration.
Have you noticed there is a great need in many areas of people's lives? I feel overwhelmed by the degree of suffering and problems world wide. I also get nervous about donating money, committing to a lot of time, or maybe putting myself in a situation that could be dangerous.
Donating Money
Do you ever get nervous about donating money to organizations that you don't know personally? Some organizations keep most of the money donated to pay staff, give bonuses, and other things besides what you wanted the money to go to. Now I know organizations need to pay the phone bills, electricity and operation expenses, but I'm talking about the ones that take more than they need.
Unfortunately this is a reality, so that's where I come in. I am going to be researching different organizations to donate to, and give real, honest reviews of what I've found. Presenting organizations that you can feel confident giving your money to will help us all feel at ease and be able to give freely.
Committing a Lot of Time
Many organizations to volunteer at are now asking for a set time commitment weekly. For many of you, this is not a realistic option. If you are a homemaker with small children it can be difficult to find time to give. If you are working, or have other obligations, this is stressful to try and find ways to be consistent. Frustrated that you can't give the required time? That's ok. I will be showing different ways to serve, and different ideas on how to do so with limited time.
Dangerous Situations
You might be wondering why I would ever consider service dangerous. Just think about it. Is it a smart choice for me to be going to different clubs at night to give gift baskets and a gospel message to entertainers? Probably not. But if I have trustworthy people with me, then that would be ok. You know the stranger danger we teach children? Well it applies to us too. Be careful not to put yourself in situations that compromise your safety. It can be hard to get a group together to go do service, but I will give some ideas. Remember you need to take care of yourself before you can help others, and that includes your safety.
If you know of any service opportunities that you enjoy or would like me to look in, drop me a note and I would be glad to!
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