“But What If I Can’t Go To Ecuador Right Now?”

Perhaps you have recently found yourself wandering the pages on the OSSO website, or listening again to the stories of an OSSO volunteer who just returned from Ecuador or Thailand, and a desire to help has touched something inside you.

But what if I can’t go to Ecuador or Thailand right now?

We hear you!  Maybe you’re in the middle of a school semester right now, your financial situation may make international travel difficult at the moment, or other life circumstances impede you from packing your bags today.

You can still help!

OSSO is always in need of enthusiastic people who are willing to help right from their home base! Fundraising is one the most impactful ways you can directly assist our sweet children.  It takes a lot of money to keep an orphanage running! There’s a never-ending list of food, diapers, medicine, doctor’s appointments, and even surgeries that need to be paid for.  

When I returned home from Ecuador, I was a pretty miserable wreck because I felt like I couldn’t do anything to help our beloved children. Luckily for me, I was wrong!  

My old high school, Sky View High School, was amazing enough to host an entire WEEK of fundraising for the special-needs OSSO orphanage in Ecuador, and asked me to help.  Every year, Sky View has a “Cause Week,” in which the Executive Student Council hosts fundraising activities for the entire week for a particular cause.  The turnout that year was amazing!  The entire student body and community came together for one week and was able to raise several thousand dollars. WOW!

(Here I am with the Sky View Executive Council during Cause Week!  I was able to speak about some of my experiences volunteering in Ecuador during their kick-off assembly.)

Here are some of the following activities that were used during Cause Week.  These can be applicable to any type of fundraising event, whether it’s a high school fundraiser, an event for October For Orphans, or something else entirely! I hope these ideas will get your brain working!

-Chalk Festival (This was by far the most anticipated and effective fundraising activity! They sold bags of colored chalk for $2-3 and then had a giant festival with music!)

-Drive-Inn Movie hosted in the school parking lot (charge per car)

-Jar Wars (Each grade had a jar in the middle of the school commons.  Coins counted as points, while dollar bills subtracted points.  The grade with the most amount of points won a prize at the end of the week. It was an intense competition between grades that included sabotage with cold, hard cash!)

-Color Run 5K (Sold shirts and chalk, great alternative to the Chalk Festival)

-Game Assembly (i.e. first person to run up with $5 could pie a teacher in the face)

-Panhandling (Musical students signed up to panhandle during lunch hour and serenaded through the halls)

-Carnival Night (Club officers hosted games and the community was invited. Great for families with kids!)

-Pizza Night (Local pizzeria donated a percentage of their earnings for the night to Cause Week and everyone was invited!)

-Pancake Lunch (Executive Student Council made and sold pancakes during lunch)

-Giant Garage Sale (Held on Saturday morning in the parking lot. This was the event that surprised everyone by being one of the most successful! Advertise to the community well in advance!)

-Choir Show (The school’s concert choir had a performance that week and donated part of the ticket sales)

-T-Shirts (The Executive Student Council designed some beautiful shirts for the week to sell, see below photo)

Now that your mind is running, don’t let anything hold back your desire to help! We appreciate everything that hard-working, passionate individuals like you do to help create a peaceful, loving, and sustaining environment for all of our children!

(This is me getting a little weepy in Ecuador prepping Christmas presents.  We were able to give the kids a spectacular Christmas thanks to many donations from people back home! A lot of tears of gratitude were shed by us volunteers on Christmas Day! THANK YOU!)

Earth's finest

“Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the Guayaquil temple with one of the Kids from OSSO. This young man has cerebral palsy. His disability doesn’t stop him from living an exemplary life. I felt so much pride for him as I helped him in and out of the baptismal font. He had never done baptisms before, only confirmations. He came up coughing and spitting water, a bit of fright visible on his face. I asked if he would like to continue, making sure he knew we could quit any time. He nodded yes… This young man is a hero, a champion. What a blessing and a privilege it has been to come to Ecuador and surround myself with some of Earths finest.”
-Written by Isaac, an OSSO Volunteer/Alumni.

A Mother to the Motherless

…“we rejoice that the call to nurture is not limited to our own flesh and blood.” -Because She is a Mother, Jeffery R. Holland

A few years ago, a little boy from the orphanage came home from school in tears. His classmates were excitedly preparing for the upcoming holiday. The class made crafts, and the teacher instructed the children just what to do for the very special holiday. Through his tears, he explained he would not be able to celebrate the holiday every other child in his class was anticipating, Mother’s Day. He cried as he shared how every other student would make breakfast for their mother, and present her with a craft and home made card.

The orphanage coordinator listened to his tender little heart, and quickly decided what to do. She told him to pack his backpack, and he was staying with her for the weekend. On a weekend that is meant for mother’s to enjoy a little relaxing, extra appreciation, and pampering, she set out to give this little boy a reason to celebrate Mother’s Day. This wasn’t the first time she had welcomed him into her home. The little boy had celebrated Christmas with her family, and many other special occasions. She took her 2 oldest daughters to the side and asked them to help give him the Mother’s Day that all his classmates would be talking about on Monday.

On Sunday morning, she lied in bed pretending to sleep as she heard the commotion of children in her kitchen. With a huge grin on his face, the little boy accompanied her 3 children as they presented her with home made cards and breakfast in bed.

Two years later, this same little boy received news he and his 2 younger sisters were going to meet their new parents. The meeting was scheduled for 2 days after Mother’s Day. He drew hearts around the photo of his new parents and wrote “Mama and Papa”. He was 9 years old and the day he had waited his entire life had finally come. After years of tears and prayers from opposite sides of the globe, He now has reason to celebrate Mother’s Day every year.

The Gringo Gordo

Everyone in Cuenca, Ecuador knows me as The Gringo Gordo (The Fat American). They could just as easily call me The Tall American. I am a head taller than almost everyone. They could call me The Blond American or The Rich American. I would prefer they call me The Strong American, The Good American, or The Fair American.

My fatness seems to be what they focus on.

They don’t say it behind my back. They say it as if it were a title of honor. Anytime I carefully fold myself into a taxi slightly bigger than a suitcase, I can usually expect to hear, “Oh, Señor, you are so tall and so fat!” in admiration.

Once, after directing me to the fifth floor, a receptionist winked and said, “Maybe you should take the stairs. The elevator is only big enough for four skinny Ecuadorians.” I was alone. 

In their culture being fat is good. After generations of worrying if you will be able to feed your children tomorrow, wanting to have a little extra weight is not a bad goal. They realize that obesity is not the ideal, but they would rather have the luxury of worrying about the consequences of excess than scarcity. They are like Tevia in Fiddler on the Roof, who, after hearing money is a curse, said, “May the Lord smite me with it. And may I never recover.

“May the Lord smite me with it. And may I never recover.”

— Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof

Some have always called me The Gringo Gordo, but the day my title became official has become a legend in the market. I needed to go to the market to “buy some bananas.”

I love the market. It has a life of its own. You don’t just stroll through the market as you would a mall. It is like an exotic expedition: pyramids of polished fruits; winding jungle-like trails with animal entrails, lingerie, and blankets hanging down like vines; chunks of ice floating like icebergs in glass barrels filled with tropical fruit drinks sweating in the sun; meadows of fresh flowers, herbs and spices; shish kabobs sizzling over charcoal; a cacophony of aromas beckoning in languages foreign to your nose; streams of brightly dressed people pulsing like life blood through the body of the market.  

I blend in at the market like a white elephant blends in with a herd of horses. The attention I get in the market is like the attention a silicone-enhanced, blond bombshell gets wearing a bikini to a church picnic. When I enter the market only a few stare openly, but everyone is aware of where I am and what I’m doing. It’s good for my ego, and like the bombshell, I mistakenly assume all the attention represents admiration and respect.

At one side of the market is an ancient looking scale. The oiled surface of the worn iron platform glistens in the tropical sun like the moist skin of its ancient owner, Jose. For a few coins you can weigh a crate of bananas, yourself, or anything you like.

When we first moved to Ecuador, we did not have a house scale. After a month or two my pants were feeling loose. Melodie, my wife, said it was because hand-washed, line-dried clothes, like their owners, tend to loosen up a little more than their machine-handled American counterparts. At that time we decided it was cheaper to hire a maid who worked for a dollar a day than it was to buy a washer and dryer.

I was sure I had lost weight, or at least I told Melodie I was sure. I wanted to weigh myself but not with Melodie around. So, I had planned this solo trip to the market.

The morning sun seemed to arrive at the market just when I did. It’s rays burned slanted golden bars through the fragrant steam rising from the food stalls. 

I didn’t go directly to the scale. I meandered through the vegetable section, then through the dried beans. 

I finally ended, looking at some bananas at a stall right next to the scale.

There were two people in line waiting for the scale: a small bent man with a sack of potatoes who reminded me of the Hunchback of Notre Dame’s Quasimodo and a stately indigenous woman wearing a billowy pleated, red felt skirt and holding a large bowl heaping with fresh cheese. I self-consciously stood in line behind them. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a mother lowering her crate of mandarin oranges. She nudged her daughter and pointed towards me as if to say, “This should be good. The Gringo Gordo is at the scale.”

As soon as it became apparent that I was waiting to be weighed, the two in front of me stepped aside and let me go first. This was more out curiosity than out of courtesy.

Jose, the owner of the scale, was aware that everyone in the market had shifted in order to have a good view of his scale. He bowed slightly and waved me graciously onto his scale as if he had been inviting royalty into his home. “Would you like to be weighed in pounds or kilos?” he asked, a little too loudly.

“Or toneladas (tons)?” quipped Quasimodo, who was now sitting on his sack of potatoes. There was a wave of snickers from the growing number of people who were pretending not to watch.

“Pounds,” I said quietly.

“I will weigh The Gringo Gordo in pounds,” Jose announced officially.

With great deliberation Jose placed the large weight on the 150-pound mark and then ceremoniously slid the small weight from 0-50. The balance arm stayed up! There was a ripple of comments as everyone realized The Gringo Gordo weighed more than 200 pounds.

Jose slid the small weight back to zero, placed the large one on the 200, gently shook his hands, blew on his sweaty fingers, and slowly slid the small weight from 0-50 again. The balance arm stayed up yet again. A collective gasp filled the market followed by excited chatter.

Jose held up his hands to silence the anxious crowd. He returned the small weight to 0 and placed the large weight on 250. With a wave he invited Quasimodo to get off his sack of potatoes and act as a witness. Quasimodo immediately understood his role and stood by Jose’s side.

Trying to stand as straight as he could, Quasimodo watched as Jose slid the small weight carefully across the balance arm. As he passed 25 the balance arm lowered a bit and everyone seemed to hold their breath as Jose carefully tapped the weight to 27, then back to 25, then finally to 26. The balance arm was suspended exactly in the middle. Jose looked questioningly at Quasimodo who gave his nod of approval. Coming around to the front of the scale and raising his arms like a circus barker, Jose called out in his finest announcer’s voice, “The Gringo Gordo weighs 276 pounds!”

The crowd erupted in hoots, laughs, and applause. The old man slapped me on the back. A tiny shoe-shine boy was patting my stomach. I was a celebrity. I pulled out a coin to pay. Jose refused saying, “Free today! You are the fattest man I have ever weighed.”

I went home and announced to my wife and kids that I was a hero. I had lost 15 pounds.

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7rvZ3fnUOw)

"Do something that scares you" by Valerie Preston

Go to a place where you can’t speak the language. Try food you have never seen before. Live in conditions completely foreign to you. Try to catch a cab in the city. Sound thrilling? What if it’s accompanied with: Go love children who have never had a family. Buy merchandise that has been handmade by the person selling it to you. Swim in waters you never dreamed of touching. Visit lifestyles you thought were extinct. Experience culture. Love more. Serve more. Smile. Cry. Make memories. Return changed.

That, my friend, is an experience found in volunteering abroad with OSSO.

People say they want to change the world. At times, I feel like I am one of them. I know it’s a hefty goal and changing the world may be unrealistic. However, with a passionate heart, you can change one life at a time. Just don’t be surprised if one of those changed lives ends up being your own.

I chose to volunteer with OSSO in Quito, Ecuador back in the summer of 2010. I had a desire to go out and make a difference somewhere. The idea of traveling to a completely foreign country with a group of girls I had never met, (plus having it be my first time to ever fly), definitely made me nervous. But the idea of trying something new and serving children in orphanages overpowered any fear I had. I just had to sign up and do it!

Entering Ecuador was quite thrilling. As soon as we landed and loaded the car, I realized we were not in Idaho anymore. Cars were flying by at record speed! I was happy to arrive at our destination in one piece. I knew what lay ahead would be hard work but I knew we would find joy in it as well.

The first day we entered the orphanage will forever be a memory engrained in my heart and mind. As soon as we walked into the door, I looked down and there were little tiny bodies with big brown eyes and arms stretched out walking towards us for hugs. It was as if they were welcoming us home. If they were able to run, I knew they would. At that moment I could feel the children taking my heart. So soon? I had no idea who they were, how they behaved, how the nuns would like me, how in the world I was going to help in taking care of the needs of so many children. But I knew that these little niños knew how to love and if anything, they would take me by the hand and simply show me the way. They knew what they needed, love; and they knew how to speak that language to us.

The rest of my time in Ecuador flew by all too quickly. Before I knew it, I was leaving the beautiful Ecuadorian country behind, with the beautiful people who resided in it. I was leaving a piece of my heart that I knew I would never get back, to the children.

 But I returned with something more. I returned with the memories of brightly colored homes packed onto the hillside, of kind brown eyes on every street corner, memories of bargain shopping for beautiful handcrafted items. I returned with a greater appreciation for what I have, that which is material and that which is obtained through building relationships with those I love. I returned with a greater capacity to love. I returned with friendships. I returned with a strengthened heart, a more willing spirit, and the will power to go out and serve.  

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"Take my hand, take my whole life too For I can't help falling in love with you." -Elvis Presley

A recent orphanage volunteer in Cuenca shared some her thoughts at the end of her service. Read one for her advice to others wanting to be an orphanage volunteer. 

“So, you want to go to Ecuador, do you? Well, let me just tell you right now that this whole falling in love with orphans thing is not for the faint of heart. Yes, it’s all it’s cracked up to be, but it’s anything but easy. There will be days where you’ll feel like God has given you a glimpse of heaven and then there will be other days where you’ll find a kid feasting on the brittle remains of a beetle he found in the corner.

And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Most days you’ll come home garnished with so many varieties of snot that you’ll feel like you have more in common with a petri dish than you do with your former self. Almost every day there will be screaming, crying, blatant disobedience, splattered soup, and violent bowel explosions that will always, always strike without warming.

And, just as surely as the sun will rise, there will be diapers. Many, many diapers. But all of this is not what I’m trying to tell you. What I’m trying to tell you is that when all of this comes (and come it will) there is one very important thing you must remember: This is the stuff love is made of.

Reading that may come as a shock to those of you who believe in a love made from roses, chocolates, and diamond rings, but just trust me when I say that the path to love is paved with diapers. It may sound strange, but what I mean is that although it may be hard to believe in the beginning, through every bit of drudgery you’re going to be falling in love.

Then one day, somewhere between playing wheelchair soccer at the park and kids draping themselves all over you like ornaments on a Christmas tree, you’re going to melt. Maybe it’ll happen when they slip their hand into yours or laugh at your joke for the first time. Or maybe in the middle of a sloppy hug or after a sticky kiss that warms you clear to your bones.

And once your heart melts, you’re really sunk. You’ll start seeing the kids in the faces of people on the street. You’ll tell your family about them. You’ll dream about them. No matter what you’ll do or where you’ll go, they’ll be there. They’ll be woven into every conversation and written across every memory you’ll make in this beautiful country, and all of it will make you love them even more.

Gradually you’ll find yourself spending extra time with them beyond your shift, watching soccer games or getting cozy for a movie night. And if the movie is about orphans, don’t be surprised if it hits you in the feels like a freight train. (There are a lot of movies about orphans—Aladdin, Annie, Harry Potter, Nacho Libre, Meet the Robinsons, Despicable Me—so prepare yourself.) You’ll start saving squiggly drawings and speaking in silly voices and saying the same Spanish commands over and over and over again. You’ll feel yourself going through withdrawals if you go 24 hours without tickling someone, and the first time someone calls you “mommy” your heart will be so full that it will take every fiber of your self-composure not to sink to the floor and cry louder than they do.

If you’re lucky, you’ll watch some of them get adopted, and then realize you’re a terrible person because you have mixed feelings about it. If only you could have more time with them, you’ll wish. But more time with them will never be enough. Once you’ve had time with them, you’ll never stop wishing for more of it. It’s not a fair fight. No matter how much you give these kids, they’ll always give you more. And as if that wasn’t enough, eventually you’ll come to the point where you’ll look into their eyes and what you see will show you that even though most of them can’t even hold their own toothbrush, it’s actually them who have been helping you all along.

This whole falling in love with orphans thing is one of the best things that will ever happen to you. It’s exhausting, wonderful, and it’s going to break your heart. I guarantee it. But do you know what? I’ve learned it’s not so bad to be broken. All of the best hearts are.

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Using your talents to bless children around the world.

What does a stylish diaper bag, a dozen delicious cupcakes, and the perfect hair product all have in common? Each of these businesses supports orphanages in Ecuador while providing you with wonderful products. Whether you’re part of a large corporation, or you’ve opened your first business you too can show support for the orphans OSSO serves.

Read on to hear 3 inspiring stories of 3 dedicated volunteers who use their talents to continually bless the orphans they love.

Savanna Allred volunteered in Cuenca, Ecuador and is now creator of Tossd Salt SprayTM

Says Allred, “After serving the children living in the OSSO orphanage in Cuenca, Ecuador, I could not stop thinking about the angels I met there. Upon my return home I yearned to help in some way but simply could not find an efficient way to contribute. The least I could do to give back to the children who permanently changed my life was to create a community where everyone could easily help. This is the perfect way to easily make a difference. Tossd Salt SprayTM will donate $1 to the OSSO orphanage in Cuenca, Ecuador with every purchase.“ Visit the Tossd Online store.

Melanie Jarnagin volunteered in Cuenca, Ecuador and now creates delicious masterpieces of “Made by Mel Cakes and Cupcakes”.

Says Jarnagin, “When I was in college, I spent a summer volunteering in the orphanages in Ecuador with a group called Orphanage Support Services Organization (OSSO). It was a humbling and life-changing experience to say the least.

In my attempt to pay it forward, I will be donating 15% of sales to OSSO to support funding for those orphanages. When you buy a cake from me, you will not only be able to enjoy my delicious creationg, but you will also help support the children of OSSO.” Visit the Online Bakery.

Chelsea Hamblin volunteered in Cuenca, Ecuador and is now the designer and seamstress of Seaport Stitches.

“I started an etsy shop November 2014 because I love sewing and I wanted to do something that allowed me to continue to stay home with my boys. I decided to donate 5% of my profits to OSSO shortly after opening my shop. Why OSSO? I was a volunteer in Cuenca, Ecuador at the beginning of 2008. I was able to see first hand the good that this organization does for the children. It is a great cause and I strongly believe in and support their efforts to help the children living orphanages. I wanted to do anything I could to give back because my personal experience with them was so great.” Visit Seaport Stitches Etsy shop.

Contact us to add your business to join in OSSO’s mission and become an OSSO supporter!

How will YOU serve the orphans in October?

December of last year, OSSO faced serious financial struggles and a drop in volunteer numbers. The program had never struggled more, and feared closure of the volunteer program and orphanage in Cuenca. One step at a time, we have seen miracles that have kept the program and orphanage going.

We invite you to be a part of the miracle that support OSSO “to do everything possible to help children living in orphanages and similar institutions to reach their full potential” (see mission statement).

We are asking everyone to take on the Power of 5 challenge as we celebrate October for Orphans. The handprint logo is our reminder to choose 5 ways to serve and support orphans. We all cannot travel abroad during October, but there are endless ways to serve orphans wherever you may be:

• Ask 5 people to donate to OSSO.
• Share your personal volunteer experience with 5 others.
• Invite 5 people to join in #October4Orphans.
• Give your children a list of chores and donate $5 to the orphans for every chore they complete.
• Encourage 5 people to volunteer with OSSO.
• Calculate how much you make in 5 hours, and donate that amount to the orphans.
• Partner with a local business to hold a fundraising event for the orphans. Most franchises already have fundraising plans set up! (Krispy Kreme,Pizza Hut, Chick-fil-A)
• Forego your birthday presents, and ask for donations for the orphans this Birthday.
• Team up with your neighborhood to hold a “Clutter for a Cause” garage sale and donate the profit to the orphanages.
• Hold a bake sale for the orphans at your local church congregation.
• Get your local school to participate in a fundraiser like “Jar Wars”, “Shave-it-or-Save-it”, or a “Color for a Cause”.
• Print these labels to put on milk jugs and place in local businesses to collect milk money for the orphans.
• Help children prepare a Lemonade Stand and donate the proceeds for the orphans.
• Challenge your children to fundraise and donate to the orphans. Make them a deal you will match their donations, and make it fun family competition.

 We invite all alumni, donors, sponsors, and supporters of OSSO to help us as we Raise Funds, Raise Awareness, and Raise Hope for orphans this October.

Please share your experiences supporting #October for Orphans. Tag us on Facebook @Osso Volunteer, or #ossovolunteer on Instagram. We look forward to your inspiring stories and support!

Lessons learned from a child

While serving in the orphanages, it amazed me that those who lacked so much, seemed to give the most freely.

I think of visiting the Special Needs home for orphans in Quito. Pedro was severely mentally handicap and Juan was physically disabled.  I remember watching Pedro bend down to Juan’s wheelchair to help him put on his socks. And in return, Juan would speak for Pedro when he needed something. They both lacked so much, yet they used the abilities they did have to take care of each other.

I think of a birthday party for a 4 year old little girl. She opened the bag, and saw a big bag of taffy inside. She instantly exclaimed, “Now I can share with all of my friends!”. She was 1 of 80 children at the orphanage, and rarely if ever got something of her very own. However; her first response was to share what she was given.

I think of a Special Needs teen in a wheelchair. He paints ceramics as a form of physical therapy. He takes pride in his work and sells them. He often saves up so he can buy a new soccer jersey. But one day the orphanage budget was tight, and another boy needed to go to the doctor. I will never forget his selflessness when he agreed to pay for the Doctor appointment for his friend.

I think of a little boy who was adopted years ago. In his Christmas letter to Santa he asked, “Please bless people out on the street and orphanage. Because I was one of them and I wanted a family as bad as they do right now.”

As adults, we often become more prideful or even down-right greedy when we receive more than someone else. But with children; it often has the opposite effect causing them to reach out in generous compassion.

It’s not just the children in the orphanages who have touched me by their compassionate examples. I met one little girl who collected donations for the orphanage, rather than ask for Birthday presents at her party. My nieces planned and prepared a lemonade stand and gave me a zip-loc baggie with $21.04 labeled, “for the orphans”. Another little girl donated a jar of money. Her kind mother explained she collected money for the orphans in celebration of her “gotcha day” when she was adopted.

I often tell myself excuses, “I don’t have enough to give.” But children have taught me there are no excuses. Everyone has something to give. 

*Names of children have been changed to protect privacy.*

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The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves! - Helen Keller

Ecuador was a life changing experience for me I will forever be grateful for!  I learned to understand this quote while living in Ecuador! That “The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves!” - Helen Keller   I became friends with the Nun who I served with daily in the Quito, Ecuador Orphanage.! I loved to play basketball with her, race her up a hill, laugh etc.But things were not always that good with her. The first few weeks of living in Ecuador and serving with her were really hard plus it didn’t help I didn’t know Spanish. :) 

 It was so easy to become negative about her and wonder why I was even there serving when I didn’t feel appreciated by her. One day as I was frustrated and complaining about it to my director rather than him having a pitty party with me about it he taught me the greatest lesson he could teach me! He told me to “kill her with kindness”. That was a big turning point for me! I made it a goal to everyday kill her with kindness and to make her laugh! Often making her laugh meant me making a fool of myself like getting stuck in a kids toy (on accident) etc. but it made her laugh so it was worth it! Things became so much better with her from then on. Sure there were days that were still hard with her but I came to love this lady!!  Rather than trying to change Sor Laura, I changed the way I saw her and how I interacted with her.And by doing so I also felt happier!   

Everyone of us in life has had or either will have someone who we have struggled/struggle with. A friend, parent, spouse, family etc. can be hard to be around and we often think if only that person was this way or that way etc. things would be so much better . 

I want to challenge you to kill that person with kindness! Make them laugh everytime you’re around them! Bring cheer to them and I know it will be a beginning of a happier life for yourself and the person!

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“Education is the most powerful weapon for changing the world.” - Nelson Mandela

Did your mom ever take you school shopping? Did your dad ever pack you a lunch to take to school? Did your grandma ever come to your school play?

Give an extra thanks to those you supported you in your education! And pay it forward to the children who who don’t have that same support in their life. 

Click here to give support:

http://www.youcaring.com/orphans-in-ecuador-419428