Called to Serve...How we can help!

I have been feeling sick lately so I have actually had time to check out everybody's blogs and facebook pages! It's so fun to see where everyone is in their lives and what cool things they are doing now. I just finished reading the January issue of the Ensign. Here is something that I thought was really awesome (found in the back under news of the Church)

"The church(LDS) sent more than 1.4 million pounds of Atmit-special food for the severely malnourished-to drought stricken Ethiopia in late 2008.
At least 14 million Ethiopians were in need of assistance. While the crisis stemmed from a drought that destroyed the entire spring crop in some places, the country has also dealt with high food prices, a number of disasters, and a rebellion in the Somali region that disrupted food delivary.
Remembering the aid the Church provided during the 2003 famine, government officials in Ethiopia requested help. The Church sent more than 30 containers of Atmit....Atmit is a mixture of oat flour, powdered milk, sugar, salt, vitamins, and minerals that is mixed with water and cooking oil and has been proven to be a successful resource for feeding the serverly malnourished."

Here is a short clip from a seperate article about the measures to create fresh clean water sources
"The Church's clean water initiative is providing remote communities like Makueni (Kenya) with hand-pump wells to reduce water-borne diseases. But by allowing villagers to spend less time fetching water, the wells also enable families to spend more time together and children to attend school more frequently.
With an estimated 23 projects in progress for 2008, the clean water initiative continues to touch hundreds of thousands of lives. Since 2002 the projects have provided more than four million poeple in 50 countries with access to clean water."

Wow! I am so impressed with the good that we can do in the world. There were many other articles about how the church has been helping with natural disasters right here in the U.S. Often times we get boggled down by all the negative towards one another. Yet with these kinds of efforts, and so many more done by the LDS church and it's members, plus all the good that other Christian faiths are doing, there is so much to be hopeful for! I want to take the boys on a tour of the Humanitarian Aid Building in SLC where they can all the food, and bundle all the clothing that gets shipped out. I think it would be cool for them to see! It is amazing the quantities of food that is being sent all over the world, or to local bishop storehouses!
I often wish I could take a summer off and head to South America, Africa or where ever and assist in these efforts. But as a mom it is not my time- every thing has a season. So I must be content with my donations in tithes, humanitarian aid and fast offerings for the time being! But I truly am looking forward to the time when Jeff and I can join hands as couple missionaries and serve where ever the Lord sends us!
Have a happy day!