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Be an Angel Day was established in 1993 by Jayne Howard Feldman. This day celebrates the giving, compassionate spirit by encouraging people to perform random acts of kindness for strangers. Being that our organization is all about providing funds to support the education and wellbeing of children in Uganda whom we may never see or meet, we are all about supporting random acts of kindness for strangers.

There are a few ways you can participate in this philanthropic day by supporting the children in our schools right from your computer, smartphone or tablet.

Sponsor a Child – You can sponsor a child from birth to 18 years for just $20/month or $240/year. Your gift will help provide resources such as food, shelter, course materials and other assistance

Purchase a Necklace – Hope for Hearts has beautiful, handmade and one-of-a-kind necklaces for sale to benefit the students. Extra points – purchase a necklace to give to a loved one or random stranger as a gift.

Donate – We depend 100% on private donations to help support the kids at our schools. Donations in any amount are always appreciated and directly benefit the students. A gift of just $25 provides two children with a month of meals!

To make a donation or purchase a necklace, visit https://hope4hearts.org/support-us/.

With Peace and Love,

Cristen

Scary thought isn’t it? In America, technology is at our fingertips or in front of our eyeballs 24/7. We’ve become so used to it that it’s now ingrained in our daily lives. Think about how many times a day you rely on technology to make a phone call, send an email or text message, get directions, research information, look up a recipe, listen to music, watch a TV show. The list goes on…

But what if you didn’t grow up constantly surrounded by modern gadgets? Would you miss them?

Technology helps simplify processes for us in ways we never had before. Finding a recipe is as simple as a Google search. Communicating with someone across the world is as simple as sending an email. You can even Skype them if you want to see them, or they want to show you a cool new art piece they made. The way we communicate with the outside world has drastically changed. While this brings about a lot of good, there’s a downside.

Having cell phones, computer, internet, etc. gives people instant access into our lives 24/7. Expectations to communicate are getting higher and higher. People get upset when we don’t respond to text messages right away. They start analyzing our non-response. Are they mad? Upset? Hurt? Doing something they should be? The answer could be as simple as we were enjoying a movie. The lines between work and home are now also getting blurred. Having access to laptops, cell phones, tablets, WiFi, etc. means offices are becoming mobile. Expectations to extend your workday from beyond the 9-5 office hours are becoming higher and higher.

While there are many benefits to technology (like the ability for you to read this post now), have you ever stopped to wonder if technology is also sometimes getting in the way of living a happy, well-balanced life?

The children at our schools don’t have access to modern technology, yet they seem to be happy with the basics. They have a roof over their head, food in their belly, friends nearby and are working together to better themselves through education. The school provides a more simplified process of education. They students learn through textbooks, and spoken word from their teachers, not iPads and online courses. They do their homework with paper and pencil – giving more incentive to get it right the first time, lest they have to erase and start over again. At the end of the day, the children are still benefitting from the education and going on to live productive, self-sustaining lives. It really makes you wonder if all this technology is necessary?

Ok – I know that’s blasphemous. Of course in our culture today, technology is becoming more and more necessary. But just imagine how much easier life can be if we went back to the basics?

Maybe it doesn’t have to be cutting out technology, but improving your use of technology to simplify your life. Such as changing “do not disturb” settings on your phone during family time. Creating calendar reminders for important events so you don’t need to carry a physical calendar. As much as technology can be a burden sometimes, it can also be an asset.

The past week has been National Simplify Your Life Week. Take a look at your life this past week…we encourage you to reflect and find ways to simplify your life the next few weeks. It could be as drastic as cutting off all technology for a week, then slowly bringing it back in ways that help benefit, not complicate your life. If you don’t want to go that drastic, there are several other small changes you can make that will help streamline different routines in your life. Find one that will bring you the most happiness and tackle it in honor of Simplify Your Life Week!

Peace, Love & Simplify,
Cristen

Ok, by now you have probably heard this old proverb thousands of times. “It takes a village to raise a child.” A proverb stemming from Africa, but with similar sayings found across the world. It’s likely this statement came about during a different time in human history. A time when humans still banded together and divided work duties amongst different families. When men would go out hunting and women gathering, while some stayed behind to watch the children. In early human history it really did take a village to raise a child. To protect them from harm, teach them right from wrong and protect and ensure prosperity for their village.

In today’s society, we are becoming more secluded from our neighbors. Front yards are becoming smaller and smaller while fences grow taller. It seems that America’s growing “village” is simultaneously becoming more isolated. Have you ever wondered if this old proverb still applies to our culture in today’s society? Parents are fighting for more and more freedom to raise their kids independently while society is trying to hold on to the rules that have promoted communal propagation for centuries. In a village like this – what happens to children who don’t have parents?

July 26 is Parent’s Day, celebrating the people who play the most important role in raising a child. When biological parents are no longer able to take care of their child, there is a village of people, foster and adoptive parents ready to take on this important role. In Uganda, the children in our schools are raised by a village of people including the nuns and priests who teach and take care of the students; local villagers who volunteer at the school; and people like you and me, from a global village of people willing to give time and money to help support these children’s upbringing.

If you think the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child” no longer applies… Think again. While we may be losing contact with our immediate neighbors, there are still many people out there with the heart to give to strangers they’ve never met. Modern technology has connected human beings in other countries in ways we never could have expected even a few short years ago, that help make this possible. The villages that once helped raise our children are now expanding further than we ever could have imagined.

With Peace and Love,
Cristen

Happy Birthday America! Citizens of the USA gather this weekend to celebrate the day America gained its independence from Britain. The day freedom began to ring throughout the land. When our forefathers created a land of opportunity where people were free to raise their quality of life and standards if they just worked hard enough. America’s 239 years of existence have not been without it’s struggles, but overall the country has persevered and grown to a great nation by the people and for the people.

In your Uganda Fast Fact for the day – Uganda only recently gained its independence from Britain on October 9, 1962. That makes this country only 53 years old, still going through it’s adolescence. The country is still considered a developing country, working to build a strong infrastructure and economy to better the lives of its citizens.

It’s hard for citizens to navigate and build themselves up in a country and economy that is still developing. It’s even harder for orphaned children who don’t have the support of family or formal education. That’s why the work we do at Hope for Hearts is so important. We are contributing to the growth of these children by providing educational opportunities and a family support system. In giving these kids a hand up to gain their freedom and independence from the cycle of poverty, we are experiencing and contributing to the growth of what can one day be a great nation.

It’s because of the work of the forefathers of our great nation that we are able to contribute to the growth and development of another country. To that – we say thanks. Here’s to celebrating freedom, independence and the birth of a nation.

With Peace and Love,
Cristen