Here's what I want to do.
I want you to think back to that time. You remember the story? Cool. Post it in the comments below. Next 23rd (8/23/11) myself, and a few others, will pick the best story.
If you like a certain story you see- tell us.
The winner gets a $50 bucks to Kiva.org
- This is a personal story- as in it happened to you.
- This wasn't something your parents, or other family, did for you (I will give preference to story about strangers).
- This benefitted them, your benefactors, in no way.
- This is my little contest-thingie; and I can make new rules, or change old ones whenever I feel like it. >;-)
I really like Kiva and what it's about. It makes micro loans (small for us- huge for the people getting them) to poor people all over the world to help them start businesses, expand them, fix houses, or just generally improve their standard of living. The get the money form people like me in really small increments. $25 bucks will get you started. If I give someone a $50 certificate- I'm actually going to make them use the money on Kiva. :-)
Dimitry bought me coffee once!
ReplyDeleteSo- To kick it off, my Blessing.
ReplyDeleteLast year- my dad passed away. He died on the 23rd of the month. It was a really rough time for my family, obviously. I remember when a month had passed, waking up early. I couldn't really sleep at the time, so... I went down stairs.
On our kitchen table, there was a floral arrangment, and a gift. Cool.
A month later, another one.
This literally went on for a full year.
Totally anonymous. For Christmas, they had gifts for everyone. Who ever this was spent time and money that was way above... Just a token gesture. It was well thought out, organized. The gifts came super early, often delivered by carriers.
3-) Totally awesome. Totally blessed my family. Blessed me. Thank you.
Ever since I was a little girl, there were two things I wanted in life. One was to be a mom and have kids, the other was to help people in some way, mainly going to a third world country. I wanted to some way give to others and spread God's word. As I kept getting older I never thought I would be able to go because things always got in the way, such as school, money, or work. September of 2010, I was sitting at my computer doing my homework and stopped for a moment and said a prayer, talking to God about how much I wanted to help others and to show me how to make this happen. Within a few minutes I got a phone call, through mission work with a group called Courts for Kids. They have been trying to get me on a trip for quite some time, but school or work always got in the way. He asked me if I would like to go to Uganda July 2011 to build a basketball court for an all boys Catholic Seminary school. I said yes of course! so I had to raise 3200 to make this trip happen. I sent out letters to raise money and prayed. I figured if it was meant to be God would provide some way. Well Christmas came, and went..and I had deadlines that needed to be made. The group leader was going to purchase the tickets and I was short 1000 dollars. I thought well, I guess It wasnt meant for me to go because I had no way of coming up with the money with in just a few days. Well, when I was at work, I had a parent come up to me. He said, my wife and I got your letter and we would like to donate money to you, a thousand dollars! At first I thought it was a joke, and I had a hard time believing it. He said my wife will bring you a check tomorrow. So when I was at work, their daughter, who is a student of mine, came up to me, handed me a check that was written out for a thousand dollars, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I of course, cried and her mother said, we usually donate to a charity once a year and your letter came at a perfect time. Not only did they give to help others, but it gave me the chance to go on this life time experience,to help many more. God works in Wonderous ways and he amazes me every day with the gifts he has for us. <3
ReplyDeletehello?
ReplyDeleteAlright Dimitry, it's Julia and I'm going to break one of your rules! This is a story about my very dear friend and hearing it has blessed me - so deal w/ it!
ReplyDeleteA few years back, there were a few days in Seattle where it was super icy on the roads - probably about an inch or so (I know - can you believe it?). My friend found himself out driving very early in the morning on these icy roads - it was about 7 AM. As he was headed back home and was waiting at a red light, he noticed an older man w/ a walking cart (you know those carts that help old people walk?) trying to cross the road on the ice right in front of him. He was really struggling. My friend decided to pull over and offer this complete stranger a ride to wherever he was going at such an early hour. When the stranger got into his car, he told my friend where he was going and why he was attempting to face and battle such bad roads and weather conditions. This stranger was on his way to an AA meeting. He hadn't missed a meeting for 7 years (okay, I don't remember exactly but it was definitely in a long time). He was going to try to make this meeting no matter what. My friend took him to his meeting safe and sound.
This incident really touch me and really inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and be that blessing someone else's life - even if it's a stranger. I think that as we go through life, there are many opportunities to help others - we just have to watch for them, and often times, they are right in front of us. They don't have to be big or elaborate - just something things. If I was in my friend's situation, I'm not sure if I would have pulled over and offered a ride to a complete stranger!
I know that my friend felt humbled, honored and blessed to help this stranger out and I'm sure the stranger felt blessed too. I'm sure God was looking out for this stranger and sent the right person at the right time to help him.
Anyways, that's all I got. Be blessed and bless others!
Okay, here's my whack at this.. not a life or death situation, but at the same time, an appreciation for the help of strangers, in one of those times where the simplest of things suddenly becomes the most precious.
ReplyDeleteAllen and I were driving from Tekoa, WA, to Sandpoint, ID, one lovely afternoon on the last day of winter. We were in farm country, and the skyline was absolutely gorgeous. After admiring the view for a minute, we remembered that we had an iPhone app that took panoramic pictures. What a great idea! We glided our little Geo Metro to the side of the road, into a farmer's field...and sunk.
Word to the wise, if you ever drive through farmland in the early spring, don't pull over. It looks like dirt, but it is MUD. Like, "I hope you aren't too attached to your shoes, because you're never seeing them again" mud.
Anyway, the first thing we tried to do was, of course, go in reverse. This made us sink even deeper. Then, we tried to go forward. Deeper still. Then, Allen got out of the car and was pushing on the front, and told me to hit it in reverse.. in the mud...
I got a mental picture of my husband getting soaked in mud from head to toe, so I refrained and only gassed it a little, to no avail. The only thing left was to stand on the side of the very lonely road, and wait.
First came a Jeep. Allen was standing and waving, very obviously needing help, so glad to see a car! But, no.. the Jeep just sped by, leaving us alone on a country road... in the dead zone...
Then, after several minutes, a small, worn down pickup came rambling down the road, and of course, stopped to help when he saw the condition of our car, at the 45 degree angle on the side of the road, stuck in the mud. He was definitely from the area, with a kind nature, and a good sense of humor.
Who carries a thick tow rope in the back of their truck? This guy did! Within minutes he had us back on the road, speeding towards Sanpoint with our windshield and front end curiously covered in mud.
What this man did was simple but so profound. The things we take for granted suddenly become invaluable when we don't have them. For instance, enough food, good health, and the ability to drive your own car. It taught me to pay attention to the people going through hard times, and to show the same compassion, taking a few minutes out of my day to help a stranger get back on the road.
Stephanie G.
One day sitting at starbucks, having an amazing convo with an amazing man about our faiths, families, pasts and futures he revealed to me where to start and how to read scripture. I began to have many questions inquirying the bible. As a newer christian I was overwhelmed with all the information that is in the word and do not get me started all the comprension!! Whoa! Totally overwhelming, but there he was, teaching me the word and the truth! I am so blessed that to have a friend so inspiring and humble. Ever since that day at starbucks, I include the word as much in my daily life as possible...Truly a blessing!!
ReplyDeleteJessica M. Porter
"In fact this is why we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers. Command and teach these things. Let no one look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the belivers in your speech, conduct, love, faithfulness and purity." 1 Timothy 10-12
comprehension**
ReplyDeleteHey Dimitry, this is a great idea! I totally love Kiva too.
ReplyDeleteOk, here's mine (another car story).
In March of this year, Brad and I were on our way to go skiing. It was night time and we were on a snowy pass. Almost to the summit, an oncoming car slid across the lanes of traffic and hit us. Luckily we weren't seriously injured, but our car was totaled, and pretty soon we were standing on the side of the road freezing to death and extremely shaken up.
The car that had been behind us stopped up ahead, and the man was an off-duty cop. He walked us back to his car and told us to wait inside. He then proceeded to take care of everything for us - went and talked to the other drivers, waited for the police, talked to the police, gave his witness testimony. He must have waited with us for at least 45 minutes, and he was outside in the FREEZING cold most of the time. It was such an incredible blessing to have a warm car to sit inside and have someone take care of us after such a shock. I don't know that I've ever met someone so willing to give up their time and comfort to a complete stranger.
We never even learned his name, but I am so thankful to God for sending us that guardian angel.
-Andi
Wow, so many wonderful stories of blessings!
ReplyDeleteLast year I went in for surgery to have the rest of my hysterectomy. My 2 hour surgery took 4 hours. I went home and didn't feel well all week. We were supposed to go to my in-laws for Easter dinner on Easter Sunday. I stayed home because I hurt all over. When my husband came home I couldn't take the pain any more and had him take me in to the ER. They couldn't figure out why I was in so much pain and were chalking it up to my poor intolerance of pain associated with surgery. They kept me over night for observation and a surgeon came in the next morning to see me. She pushed on my belly and I screamed in agony. She made a decision to take me into the operating room and open me up to see what was going on, despite the other surgeon's recommendations. I was so out of it all I could do was sing hymns in my head over and over again. It turns out that my bowel had been nicked in the previous surgery and I was septic. Dr. Stephanie Taylor followed the prompting to take me in and open me up to see what was wrong. She saved my life that day and although she was a few weeks shy of giving birth, she dedicated her time and talent to make sure I was around to finish mothering my children. She has been a blessing in my life ever since!
I was rollerblading alone in Portland and I stopped on the waterfront to read The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama. I had been having a lot of self worth issues adn thought this book could help. As I sat there reading, a man approached me and commented on my Dalai Lama book. He asked why I had picked it up, out of all books out there. And for some reason, I told him. I told him I was having a hard time with self worth and that I didn't have a lot of it. He talked to me about that for a good while and made me feel okay that I had told a complete stranger something so personal. Before he left he told me, that just by talking to me, I had no reason to question my self worth and that he can tell I'm a person who should feel worthy in every way and that I seem to be a very good person. That day ended my search for my own self worth. I started thinking more of myself and it is all because of him, and the kindness of this stranger.
ReplyDeleteoh boy not gonna lie...
ReplyDeletejust when i came to USA i met a guy name N ( no names) and we became best friends. we were always hanging out together, basketball, pictures, just doing stuff together. it was awesome, however, nothing lasts for ever. some things happened in his life, and we stopped talking and did not hang out for more that 2 years...
during those 2 years i found other friends and i was fine, however as time passed he figured that we should start hanging out. we became friends again, but not as good as before...
Until some things happened.
we play in same orchestra, and i unexpectedly got sick, and could not come. i hurt my leg.
this is were unexpected comes.
after orchestra, before my dad comes home, i hear someone knock on the door, i open it and there he is with bananas, and oranges in his hands.
that was so cool! i would never expect anyone to do that. ( i know people did it back in russia or ukraine, visit friends relatives with fruits...not in america!)
it was just amazing, sweet and carrying.
also after that me and my other friends got a tradition to visit each other with some kind of fruits and food when ever one of us gets sick :D and we love doing it!
3 days ago my friend N hurt his arm, so me and my other friend X went, got flowers, couple bananas, and some food, he liked it i think :D
do it to your friends, and you will be rewarded, it feels amazing when you bring something to your friend thats sick.
Blessings
Wow Dima! It’s hard to remember all the blessings we receive from God and other people. And I realized that how easy it is to remember the nice things we did to others. Atleast that’s how it is for me…sometimes.
ReplyDeleteBut I will never-ever forget this story, a story that changed my life…
There was a time in my life when I really really needed moral and financial support ... I was in a desperate need of a special medication. A medication that you can only find in Finland and that costs A LOT of money. I couldn’t afford it because I didn’t have a job and ‘cause of other reasons. At that time I had an awesome friend by my side, who was always with me, a friend who I trusted with almost anything, a friend who felt and accepted my need as his own and made a decision that I had no idea about, until that morning…
That one morning I woke up very early, read my Bible, had a little talk with Jesus about everything and for some reason I had the urge to go outside for a morning walk… As I opened our front door, I saw a little box sittin' on our steps. I picked it up, read the address which said that it was shipped all the way from Finland… I was shocked and started crying, because I guess I was realizing what was possibly in there… It said “Karolina Serpevsky” on it… So as I opened the box I couldn’t believe it! That exact medication was really laying there… I began to thank the Lord for that wonderful little box, and the person who bought it for me!
Not everyone can pay more than half a thousand to help a friend! But he did…… To this day, I thank God for my wonderful friends, who help change my life! =)
God is amazing, He sends us the right people at the perfect moment! :)