My favorite scene from the Harry Potter films, which I’ve mentioned before is the one where everyone from Hogwarts stands in the courtyard and lifts their lit wands to the night sky against Voldemort and his minions.
Every day, we, too, can lift our wands. We have a choice. We don’t know whether or not we will win in the end, but we can both collectively and individually raise our power.
How can we do that? By being kind. By sharing what we have. By smiling at someone. By listening. By speaking up. By making something just because we were inspired. By using our gifts for good.
It’s simple, really, but it takes some determination not to listen to the voices of doom that zap our energy and leave us feeling completely helpless. We aren’t helpless. We were all given certain strengths and gifts and we’ve honed skills that we can share so that others can benefit from them.
When I think of the small things an individual can do to help children in Gaza, for example, it may seem useless to even try. But I wonder how many of us have been influenced by the social media mindset? That we have to reach thousands of people in order for our effort to matter.
Those of us who know the stories about Jesus know that he stopped for the one. He tended to one person at a time. He didn’t say, “In order not to waste my time and energy, all of you sick get in a crowd and I will wave my arms and you’ll all be healed at once.” He took the time to heal one person at a time.
What does that have to do with Gaza?
Well, we might think our little contribution to a humanitarian organization doesn’t do much. But what if it allows one mother to receive formula for her baby or bag of rice or flour and a few vegetables to feed her family? What if it gives one starving child a meal after several days without? What if, along with a few other people’s small donations, it allows an injured child to fly to another country to receive medical treatment?
Do you still think it doesn’t matter? What if that mother was you? What if that child was your child or your niece or nephew or grandchild? Wouldn’t it matter then? If it matters to one, it matters. You matter. Your choices matter.
My daughter and I have been running a fundraiser for Palestine Children’s Relief Fund called Steps for Gaza this month. This is what my daughter asked for instead of gifts for her August birthday.
PCRF helps children and families in Gaza receive food, water, medical care, and humanitarian aid. PCRF holds a four star rating for accountability and finance from Charity Navigator (only 3% of charities have this rating).
We set the goal at $2000 and agreed to walk 350,000 steps in August dedicated to the children and families in Gaza. (We reached our steps goal on Tuesday night and are still walking!)
And we are at 73% of our fundraising goal, thanks to donations from family and friends! Would you make a donation to Palestine Children’s Relief Fund today here? Perhaps your donation will help one child receive a meal or medical care. Your contribution matters! You matter.
Here’s the video we made about the Steps for Gaza Fundraiser here.
Life of Kim 