The Best Big Brother Ever!

Today Shirley and I didn't do much, we went to bed late last night because of the fog...her flight came in late.
I found this you tube of a brother and sister's relationship and I loved it.  It was inspiring and so I hope you find it the same. You can watch it Here:

Service dogs for Children Worldwide

I was touched the other night when I watched this video ...HERE:

Before I got married and a short time after we were married, I worked at a Pre-school Handicap Center in West Virginia. We had actually just finally received the funding for a new and improved Center, and I was able to help prepare and order things for our class room. I wish I had a photo of all my kids, I do somewhere. It was probably one of the most challenging (physically) jobs I have ever had, but the most rewarding one too!
I loved my kids, some had serious handicaps and could only smile or move their head to communicate. Others did sign language, still others only had physical handicaps and could communicate with you, but some came from very dysfunctional homes and some of them were handicap because of malnutrition and abuse in their homes. The hardest part for me was when we did home visits. After seeing the environment these little kids had to live in, it brokemy heart. Every day after a visit I would come home and ask Jeff if we could adopt one our kids from school. Not that they were up for adoption, but to realize what type of life these little kids had to live with on a daily basis was unbelievable.
As I saw more about this organization, I thought what a wonderful idea and only wish some of my kids would have had the opportunity to have a service dog to help them.
So read more about it and just a warning...you might want to get a tissue!
Good night dear friends!

4 Paws for Ability enriched the lives of children with disabilities by providing task-trained service dogs to their families.

Providing Service Dogs to Children Worldwide

4 Paws for Ability enriches the lives of children with disabilities by training and placing quality, task-trained service dogs. This provides increased independence for the children, and assistance to their families. And 4 Paws also works with veterans from recent conflicts who’ve lost the use of their limbs or their hearing while in active combat. In all cases, the results speak for themselves. Lives are transformed.

Read more here:

Amazing!

Sunday a friend of ours, spoke about service to others. One of the stories that he related, was about a man who developed this technology called Eagle Eyes. I can't tell the story exactly word for word but it went something like this... This man would walk to work everyday. He had to pass Handicap kids and it made him feel uncomfortable, so he would cross the street so that he wouldn't have to have that feeling. Basically the technology that he created, ended up helping these same kids that he used to try and avoid. When he realized that something he developed could actually help someone he was excited and said something like this..." Now I know what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am going to dedicate my life to these handicapped kids that I used to avoid every day."

I just thought this was an amazing story, especially since I used to work with severely handicapped children...they are special spirits! Any of us who have these special spirits in our homes and families, already know how blessed we are to have them in our lives!

EagleEyes Project

The purpose of the EagleEyes Project is to help people with severe physical disabilities develop and be educated to their fullest by enabling them to access the computer. We work with people, mainly children and young adults, who cannot speak and can move only their eyes or head.

During the past ten years we have developed two access technologies. EagleEyes allows people to control the computer by moving only their eyes. EagleEyes works through five electrodes placed on the person’s head. The Camera Mouse allows people to control the computer by moving their head. The Camera Mouse works through a video camera or web camera connected to the computer. Both access technologies function as standard mouse replacements in Windows systems. They work with standard commercial Windows applications software. We also have developed a number of application programs (for example on-screen keyboard programs, games, and a browser) that work well with EagleEyes and Camera Mouse and are available for free download or on a CD.

The EagleEyes Project is centered at Boston Collegemainly as a joint project between the Carroll School of Management, the Computer Science Department, and the Campus School. Boston College recently signed a licensing agreement with the Opportunity Foundation of America of Salt Lake City to build miniature EagleEyes boxes and distribute them for free. EagleEyes sites have been set up at several facilities in the U.S. and U.K.

http://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/schools/csom_sites/eagleeyes/pdf/C-%5Cfakepath%5CEEChangingLives.pdf

 

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."  ~Stacia Tauscher

"When Jesus Christ asked little children to come to him, he didn't say only rich children, or White children, or children with two-parent families, or children who didn't have a mental or physical handicap. He said, "Let all children come unto me."   ~ Marian Wright Edelman

You may be the answer to someone's prayer!

   I struggle each time I see a homeless person standing or sitting by the roadside with their signs. I always say a silent prayer that some how, some way they will find some help and direction in their life. It is a tough decision at times to give money, and some times a tough decision not to. I have done both. I am not hear to argue what others say about these homeless people. I have heard people say that no one should have to beg on the streets with all the shelters and services out there to help. I have heard people say, that some of the people aren't really homeless, it is just a great way to make some good money. I have heard people say, that if you give them money then they are just going to go by cigarettes or beer with it.
    Whatever you believe, I still think we need to try and help those around us. Many times, we are the answer to someone's prayer. The ones we need to help may not be homeless at all. They may look the same as  you and I, and yet be fighting a terrible personal battle of their own.  Maybe our phone call that day, helped them to feel wanted and loved. Maybe it is the stranger on the street, or someone in our neighborhood that needs help. I just feel like more often than not, we need to look at those we come in contact with every day, and see if there is a way that we can be of some help to them. We can pray each day to be guided to those who need us. Don't forget by starting to look at the people in your own home. Everyone is needy at some point in their life. This story below, reminded me of this tonight.

"One cold evening I went to New Delhi Railway station to reserve my ticket for Kolkata. It was too cold, foggy weather; I could not stand outside. I parked my bike near the station counter and I tried to go inside the ticket counter.
Suddenly, I saw a man, trying to get relief from the cold with a torn blanket, on the footpath. He had no hands, no legs, and he was trembling from the cold. He was trying to cover his body with the torn blanket, but he failed every time to do it. He wished for someone to come and help him.
So many people crossed by there, with a smile, to see the scene. I forgot all about the cold and I was whispering to myself, "God, why you are giving so much pain to his handicapped person? Why are you not helping this man?"

Then I suddenly realize that God sent me to help this person and I quickly ran to help him cover his body.
He said, "SUKRIYA BHAISAAB (Thanks)".
It's not a big thing for everybody, but it changed me a lot. God gave me the dream to help poor, handicapped people. I realized one thing that a dream is one thing, which runs human. From that day, I promised myself, whatever it may take, I will help lots... lots... of people to live a happy life.
Here I would like to request everybody, if you see anybody who requires help, don't just pass by. Try to give possible help to them. Maybe God sent you to help them."

http://www.motivateus.com/stories/dptw.htm

 

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."  ~Anne Frank

"We can do no great things, only small things with great love."  ~Mother Teresa

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not. " ~Dr. Seuss