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First Line: "I'm gonna make a change, for once in my life."

and so on…

When I was a little girl, my mother worked the night shift and my father traveled a lot with his job. So on sunday mornings, if mom was too tired, she'd sleep in and me and my sisters would have the day off from church to watch tv, etc. I would always watch those sunday morning specials beckoning viewers to adopt a kid in some impoverished foreign country.  "With just 1 cent a day you can take the hunger away," is what the tv specials would promise viewers, as they showed tons of starving children with sad faces and swollen bellies.

I would watch, almost to tears, wondering why in the world those kids were suffering so bad if it only took 1 cent to feed them. I mean, my father had a stash of pennies on his night stand that were just collecting dust. "You know what," I thought, "I'm going to be rich when I grow up, so why not help them myself! I'm going to adopt them and give them the best medical care and dental services that they can stand." Then I'd think of all the cool things that I got to eat…ice cream, soda, melted snicker bars, cheesedoodles, rice…and all the clothes that I owned…and I just knew that i could adopt those kids and share with them what I had and make them the happiest kids on earth. I would even think that after I took care of them, they could go back to their country and take care of the others. Now mind you, I was no more than ten or eleven when I devised this awesome "Save the World" plan. 

And then I shared my intentions to save the world with my mother and do you know what her response was? "Why adopt children over there when there are so many right here at home who need help." MOM??!!! What do you mean kids right here at home? I ain't never seen no kids with bulging bellies in my neighborhood. I mean, Brandon down the street rotted his teeth out, but his parents are getting them fixed, so he don't need my help. 

For years I was confused and a little offended by her, as I saw it, lack of compassion.
And then, I move out to LA, and I get a job in the public school system, and boy oh boy are my eyes opened to what mama said years ago.

The rates of teenage pregnancy…astounding. The hundreds of urban children who can neither read nor comprehend on their grade level…heartbreaking. The amount of abuse inflicted upon children by there parents/foster parents…unreal! The cases of violence and rape and homelessness and hunger that flow in and out of the free clinics on a day by day basis…mind boggling!! 

I no longer believe it's about having noble efforts of saving the world. That statement is so broad and overwhelming, it's not wonder people scoff at those who feel like they can truly rescue the world through one mission trip or community program. 

I believe it's about the change that starts right at home. And I don't mean home as in my surrounding community. I mean home as in my own heart and my own self. If I educate myself, if I expand my horizons, if I accept challenges and face them with courage, if I love and cherish and respect and appreciate and invest in myself…boy oh boy how the world will change. Because once home is changed, and I step out my front door, is not my neighborhood immediately impacted? Is not my job different? Are not my friends effected. 

"I'm gonna to make a change, for once in my life. It's gonna feel real good. I'm gonna make a difference. Gonna make it right."