Give Kids the World

[billjr]

I just got back form a church trip to Disney World, and we spent each morning volunteering at a place called Give Kids the World. It was so amazing, I had to let you guys know about it.

GKTW is a residential village that supports the Make A Wish Foundation and over 60 other similar groups around the world. They have 140 villas where the families stay while they are there. The kids are suffering from life threatening illnesses, and are there to have a week of joy and happiness, two things that are in short supply during their daily lives back home.

We met kids that were recovering, kids that were just starting treatment, and kids that had only a few weeks to live. Helping these kids smile and enjoy a week with their families was the most emotional and fulfilling mission I have ever been on.

If you have plans to go to Orlando, please consider helping out at GKTW. They need over 1200 volunteers each week, and you could do anything from handing out towels at the pool, cleaning tables at breakfast, to being a Christmas Elf in the Thursday evening Christmas parade. Hasbro built the largest Candyland game in the form of a playground, and named it after their employee's son that died six months after staying at GKTW. They have a pretty good website that explains their mission and how to volunteer.

They have earned a four star rating the last six years straight by using 92% of their proceeds for their programs, with only 3% for admin and 5% for marketing. They are in an elite class of charities.

Also, please keep a little 6 year old girl named Annie and her family in your prayers. She spent last week at GKTW with her parents and sister. They learned just before leaving home that she only had 6-8 weeks to live. She has been taking two forms of chemo, yet her brain tumor continues to grow. The only words she spoke all week were when she recited the 23rd Psalm for us from memory.

One other story. A young man's wish was to go to Epcot to see the fireworks and light show. He went to the show, and enjoyed it as much as he had ever hoped. Right after the show they headed for the parking lot, as the park closes then, and the young man died while being pushed through the park. Because of groups like Make-A Wish and GKTW, this boys dream came true, and his family has the memory of happy times spent doing things together in a really great place.

Just wanted to put this out, as none of our group had ever heard of this place before we started planning our trip, and no one else I talk to seems to have ever heard of this place either.