Erin, I thought about your question and decided that it was so enormous and multi-faceted and situation-dependent that I could not formulate an easy answer. So, out of curiosity, I asked my children (the 2 that speak beyond mamama & dadada & pffttttt, anyway!)

Leave it to kids to make things simple. They did not hesitate to answer. My 4-year old said, "Have peace." My 6-year old said, "Feed them enough."

I'll give it my best shot:

My children ARE some of the world's children. I want to make sure that I help my children to understand what a priority they are in my life. Though we don't have an elaborate outlandish lifestyle, we certainly have more than enough "stuff"; I want to make sure that they feel they have enough love, enough time with me...all of those intangibles that are so important in the development of children. In the busy-ness of life (with two full-time work-outside-the-home parents), I think it can be easy to forget to shower our kids with the kind of love they so deserve - we try, but I know we fall short at least sometimes.

And yet, living with blinders on, concerned only about my own family is terribly selfish. I agree that thinking only on a local level is short-sighted.

Though my children (at age 3, 2 and 7 months) are still a little young to fully understand now, as they grow, I want to help them learn that when we pray the Lord's Prayer - "give us this day our daily bread" - we're not talking just about ourselves, our own immediate family. We're talking about all of God's family. Prayers matter, and they are answered. That's our first step to building concern for others in our kids.

I want my children to think about what it's like not to have enough... That there are children who do not feel loved and who will never have time to do what kids do, to play, to laugh, to sing and dance. That there are kids who do not have enough of the "stuff" necessary for life itself.

And then, I want our family to be one that acts, at least in some small way, to make life better for others. Like many, I'm struggling now with the concrete ways we'll do this. I know of many wonderful organizations that do fabulous work around the globe; I want to be sure that whatever we choose to support is meaningful to our entire family.

But, I get paralyzed by all the worthy causes. How could we, with our limited resources, ever do enough? We'll continue to support the organizations we've chosen for now, and I'll pray that our children will provide us with some of the same kind of wisdom s's children did - and that their ideas will be able to guide our decision-making about which to support.

S, i love what your children had to say. Out of the mouth of babes!

And jen, thanks so much for all of your thoughts. I agree...it can be paralyzing to think about how much there really needs to be done...it feels to overwhelming, and like a difference can't be made, so why try.

But I really believe that every little bit...even if it is just being aware, saying a prayer, telling others, etc....makes a difference for the better. Sponsoring a child may seem like such a small thing in the grand scheme of the world, but it is a grand thing for that one child.

Thanks again... I put up two new posts on this topic.

hugs,
E

If you have an answer, let me know ... It is driving me crazy not to know what to do. At least after reading you post I signed in for a monthly payment for unicef.