Haven – a beautiful thing

I bet you thought that was a typo?  Nope.

ha·ven  /ˈhāvən/     Noun     –  A place of safety or refuge

I was out in my backyard this weekend – getting caught up on a few things while listening to great music and enjoying a beautiful Spring day.

When I took a break from my computer to just relax and enjoy the day, my eyes wandered to the rock-sign in my backyard that says, “Haven in the Distance.”  After thinking about what a nice haven this space is for me…I was reminded of just how many people in the world struggle to find a place of safety or refuge – their haven.

You may think that is a strange leap… from enjoying my own haven to thinking about others without one?  My work with Philanthropegie keeps me in contact with people in need and people dedicated to helping others in need.

Last week I received a message from the folks at Streetlight USA.  This is an amazing organization located here in Phoenix, AZ with a simple, yet hugely important mission – stop child rape.  They provide more than a haven for these children… they work on prevention and support that helps to break this horrible cycle for the children in their care.  You can learn more via this link. 

Tomorrow I have a meeting with the executive director of Orchard: Africa.  She leads an amazing organization restoring hope to the vulnerable by creating sustainable change in rural African villages.  Imagine more than 20,000,000 orphans living in a level of poverty that most of us can barely comprehend.  This is the environment in which Orchard: Africa works through local pastors to help make the villages in which the orphans leave a true haven.  You can lear more via this link.

I am so grateful for organizations like these who dedicate their resources to helping others in need.  I am also very grateful for people like you who would not be reading this if you didn’t have a heart for giving back in some fashion.

What if we all made time each day to think of others and small (or big) ways in which they might offer help.  It wouldn’t take much.  A small donation, a kind word, downloading an app that helps you find ways to give back everyday, finding a new social good organization to support.  None of these would take a great deal of effort…but they would make a huge difference in the lives of others.

Together we can help everyone find their own place of safety or refuge.  And that would be a great (and important) thing to do.