A family's journey as they travel the USA to help others
This past week we stayed at the KOA in Kissimmee, FL. Just off the freeway, the campground is strategically located only a short drive from most of the "big-name" Orlando attractions (Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, Etc.). The first thing we did after setting up our fifth wheel was to head into the office for delicious root beer floats (only $1 each). Wednesday just happened … [Read more...]
Today, like every day, I spent time reading with our girls. They both love books! They are eager to soak up the knowledge found on each page. On most days, we read dozens of children's books with them - even when we're tired, even when we've read a book a hundred times already. We were out most of the day today, but before dinner I read Lady and the Tramp, 102 Dalmatians, and … [Read more...]
We arrived in Daytona, Florida this afternoon, but before we left the Orlando area we visited the International Headquarters of Campus Crusade For Christ. CCCI is a worldwide non-profit organization that seeks to help build spiritual movements everywhere so everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus Christ. I was a little surprised by how many different projects the organization … [Read more...]
Did you know that there are over 6,900 spoken languages in our world, but only 657 language groups have access to the entire Bible in the language they best understand? Many groups of people don't even have an established alphabet. Founded in 1942, Wycliffe is non-profit organization that holds the belief that every man, woman, and child should be able to read God’s Word in their own … [Read more...]
Some things changed when we moved out of our 1800 sq ft house and into our 360 sq ft home. For example, we had to buy new bed sheets. In our old house, we had a king bed and two doubles. In our fifth wheel, we have one queen bed and one twin. Space is relative here in the RV. At least personal space. We replaced our sheets with super comfortable Lands' End sheet sets. Stephanie and I … [Read more...]
I know the title sounds like I am suggesting not to "steal shopping carts." :) After my oldest daughter and I came out of the grocery store today, we put our shopping bags in the truck and then pushed the basket to the cart receptacle. It is a simple thing, but many people don't do it. I've considered the fact that I am the customer and the establishment I just gave my money to is paying … [Read more...]
Our oldest daughter and I went to Target today to buy items to make a hygiene kit. We plan to give the little kit to a homeless person next time we are on-the-road. Sometimes it is difficult to know if giving money is helpful in the long run. When possible, we like to give edible things or hygiene items as an alternative to cash. My daughter and I went to the travel section to find what we … [Read more...]
All my friends know this about me: I like things clean. Usually this is a good quality, but sometimes my "cleanliness standards" are a little too high for the rest of my family. When we bought our fifth wheel, it needed cleaning - and lots of it. There was nothing overly disgusting, but when someone else has been living in your house it needs a good cleaning before it feels like home. The … [Read more...]
Our girls love making cards and sending them to friends and relatives. Tonight, Stephanie and the kids made grandparent cards (or at least that is what we call them). With Stephanie's help, they printed out pictures of recent adventures, put stickers on envelopes, and wrote a short list of the things they have been doing. Here is the list they came up with: Volunteering Swinging and … [Read more...]
Today, we spent three hours learning about Give Kids The World. Neal McCord (Director of Facilities) retold the inspiring story of how GKTW began and took us on an amazing tour of the GKTW Village. If you haven't ever heard of the Give Kids The World Village, it is a "70-acre, non-profit resort in Central Florida that creates magical memories for children with life- threatening illnesses and … [Read more...]
Neither Stephanie or I enjoy grocery shopping. In fact, there have been a handful of times when we have gone to the grocery store just to come back with almost nothing to eat. We've since learned that it's always best to go with a list. We just moved to a new campground in Kissimmee, Florida on Wednesday...and since we need to eat, we had to go shopping. The last few days we have had a big … [Read more...]
Seniors First held a press conference this morning for the Mayors of Central Florida. I helped out as their photographer. They are a non-profit organization that "enhances the quality of life for Central Florida senior citizens by maintaining their independence and dignity through nutrition, home improvement and support services." This month is "March For Meals," a national campaign initiated … [Read more...]
This morning we volunteered with the Sunshine Foundation in Davenport, FL. Sunshine is a non-profit organization that seeks "to answer the dreams of chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged and abused children, ages three to eighteen, whose families cannot fulfill their requests due to the financial strain that the child's illness may cause." The most requested dream is to go … [Read more...]
Besides good 'ol water, coffee is my favorite drink. I love it so much that I grind beans every morning and make at least 6 cups. I never add sugar and usually drink it black. Typically, I drink a cup or two in a mug and then keep the rest in my thermal pot or tumbler for drinking throughout the day. Stephanie isn't big on coffee unless it is super cold outside so I am solo for the coffee … [Read more...]
For the last few days, my family and I have been at Disney World for a conference. We are home this evening in our fifth wheel and it feels so nice. One of the things that comes to mind when I think of Disney are Make-A-Wish kids. Make-A-Wish is an organization that strives to "grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, … [Read more...]
Up until now, we have only volunteered with, toured, and interviewed non-profit organizations. We have learned from people who are serving children, the elderly, the hungry, and even prisoners. We have asked questions about funding and management. … [Read More...]
To-date, our family has visited, toured, and/or volunteered with over 40 non-profits. We plan to continue to serve in similar capacities in the coming 5 months, but...at a slower pace. These four things seem to be characteristic of the more … [Read More...]
