on a calling.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. 

And what does the LORD require of you? 

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)  

It's hard sometimes to be a stay at home mom and become so wrapped up in the never ending daily demands of my children, that it sometimes feel like the world is shrinking and my vision becomes myopically focused on the very, very small world of my household.

I have continued to stay fairly up-to-date on politics and current affairs, thanks very much to the ability to read news on my iPhone while I nurse Audrey. (Thank you, Steve Jobs, for changing my life.) But it's not always easy to know how to help change the world when I'm just simply too busy changing diapers.

But as a result of prayer and providence, I believe God has found me a way to help the world by using me exactly where I am. There is an organization in Haiti called the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission that I believe in and support. This mission supports a special needs orphanage called the Miriam Center, which is directed by a childhood friend named Courtney (who has done wonderful things with her own unique gifts- a post of its own!).

Special needs children in Haiti have a particular need for care and love because, in addition to the pervasive poverty in their community, disabled children are often isolated, ostracized, and neglected due to cultural stigma. My friend who directs this program has made it her mission to have these children be seen by their communities, instead of hidden away.

And that's where I can help. The mission is in need of jogging strollers to help transport their disabled children outside the gates of the mission. The jogging strollers work well because they are rugged and built for rough terrain like that in Haiti (unpaved roads, etc.). They are also in need of traditional-type strollers, to use as seats for what Courtney calls the "severe and profoundly" disabled children who otherwise cannot leave mats on the floor.

And guess who I know? LOTS and LOTS of moms. I belong to 3 separate moms groups here in Fullerton, in addition to dozens of other moms that I am connected with through Facebook. Hundreds of moms altogether. And almost all of these moms use strollers for their children, and then eventually don't need them anymore once the children have outgrown them.

The first stroller made it! Yay.

 So my service and my calling in this stage of my life is to boldly and confidently request that my mom friends donate their strollers to this mission. (And arrange the easy logistics of transport through a flight attendant who is using *her* place in life to help transport items!)

It feels awesome to feel that God is using me in this small way.  So far I have been able to acquire 4 used strollers for their program. I know it may not seem like much yet, but I've just started and I know that I will be able to get more strollers as word gets out and my mom friends know what an amazing impact they can have by donating their strollers instead of selling them used on Craigslist.

It is such a little thing - so many people do so much more - but it is something, and it feels really good to know that I can make a difference, if I just listen to the whispers of where God can use me.

Courtney with some of her boys. She is an inspiration to me.