Be the Change

I notice how many people post, via social media, about the injustice in the world…the inequality…the unfair treatment of others.

I can feel your outrage as the innocent and ordinary are often trampled by the powerful and self important. Rights are snatched away based on age, gender, race…

The World can be a cold and cruel place. You SHOULD be outraged. You should Express your feelings loudly and clearly! If enough people raise their voices, things would change.

Right?

Right?

But what if change requires more than our outrage?

What if real change requires our action?

What if you could Be the Change (as Ghandi posited)?

I hear you. What can I do? I am one person and my actions are like a lone drop of water in an empty bucket.

But is it? Action tends to give birth to awareness which can spawn movements which can spawn revolutions which can lead to change.

It all has to start somewhere.

Why Not You?

Be the Change.

There are so many ways you can be the change.

Fostering

It makes your heart sick to read about the thousands of children abused, neglected and abandoned. There are many more children waiting for families than there are families available to take them in. Fostering a child would make all the difference to that child.

But fostering is a serious commitment: one that involves your whole family. On the other hand, foster parents facilitate change every day. They bring safety to those who dont feel safe; a family to those who feel abandoned and a home to children who have lost theirs. Look into your heart. Could you foster a hurting child?

Be the change!

Mentoring

Imagine you are 12 years old, coming into foster care due to the drug use of your mother. Most of your young life you have been both mom and dad to your younger siblings because mom was not around. There was no one to guide you, teach you or support you. It was just you.

A mentor is someone who , after a thorough background check and under agency guidelines, spends quality time with a child. Mentors help with homework and take the child on fun outings while modeling appropriate behavior in social settings. Most importantly, a Mentor listens to the child, encouraging and supporting. For children who did not have a supportive adult growing up a mentor can make a huge impact in their lives.

If you have a few hours each week to give of yourself…think about mentoring.

Be the change.

Supportive Partner:

What if you just cannot give full or even part time attention to these children at this time In your life?

Be supportive.

Know a foster parent? Offer to bring over dinner for the family once a month. Help with small repair jobs around the house. Even just checking in with them regularly to offer an encouraging ear can make a difference. Be supportive.

Be the change.

There are so many ways you can make a difference in the world of an innocent child. Some ways require a major commitment but some do not.

Instead of raging against the unfairness of the world…make a decision to take one small step towards action.

Be the change.