Come to My Party!!

If you're reading this, you have most likely already received my 40th birthday "party" invitation... or one is on its way soon to your e-mailbox. I’ve been contemplating the landmark not-so-old age of 40 for months now, wanting to do something special, big, exhilarating, personal... something with meaning. I brainstormed ideas from movies to food to scavenger hunts to costume parties. But something was always missing. And then last week, a fully formed idea burst into my head (much like Athena from the brain of Zeus) -- a "virtual party" wherein friends and maybe even friends of friends all buy presents for... children on the other side of the world who need a school. I've loved school all my life, so much that I've spent the last 20 years either studying education or teaching. The idea thrilled me immediately.

I checked out my two favorite charities and found that Samaritan's Purse could build or renovate a school in a poverty-stricken area for $8000. "That's a LOT of money!" I thought. "I can never raise THAT much money!" And then, this verse was thrust into my mind: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" (Ephesians 3:20-21). So who's to say what can and can't be done? What I will do is try. Let's build a school!!

If you would care to donate, please know that your gift is tax deductible. You will write a check to Samaritan's Purse, deliver it to me, and I will collect and mail all contributions, with an earmark for our school project. If your name and address are on your check, you will receive a tax receipt in the mail. I will not post my address on this site, as most people reading this can either deliver checks via my workplace, my husband's workplace, or our church. Otherwise, I suspect you already have our address. If someone forwarded you a link to this blog, then that person can provide you with contact information.

My 40th birthday is Thursday March 13th. If you aren't able to put a check in my hand by that date, please let me know it's on the way. I hope to gather, count, and mail all checks by the following Monday, the 17th, Saint Patrick's Day. So I guess we'll call St. Pat's day our "deadline."

I hope to be able to provide more information at a later date about the actual results of my little birthday project. I'm in touch with the folks at Samaritan's Purse and am exploring the possibility of knowing an exact price and location of a specific school. That is my ultimate wish, but it depends firstly on the amount of money we are able to collect. Check this blogspot later to see if there are follow-up posts. If so, I'll edit this one with a "P.S." so you'll know where to look.

Finally, one more word about Samaritan's Purse. It was founded in 1970 and taken over in 1973 by Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son. Its goal is to follow the Biblical example of the Good Samaritan throughout the world. I chose this organization because they are in the business of providing help and HOPE to suffering people. It is my humble opinion that hope is incomplete without Jesus. Samaritan's Purse delivers food, shelter, medecine, education, and Jesus' message of hope to hurting people. The organization is ranked highly among America's best and most trustworthy charities. So let's get to work building a school!!