New to our blog? Our story unfolding...

Our family has lived in Tualatin, OR for just over 10 years. We have always been passionate about sharing our love, our time and our resources with others who would be blessed by them. This year we have had our heart tugged in a very special way…just in time for Christmas.

I visited Ethiopia in July accompanying a dear friend who adopted a 4 year old boy. I had no idea how this trip would rock my world and drive me beyond where I have ever been with compassion for children, for those who are sick and for the devastated poor. When I returned, I chose not to forget, not to close my eyes, not to justify the extremes in which I had just been exposed to. My husband Shane, my daughter Kaytlynn (11) and my son Harrison (8) supported me and listened to countless stories, watched many videos and stared at the pictures with me. They chose to be moved inside.

We decided to start with what we could control…eliminating expenses and liquidating our treasures. We had a whole house garage sale and sold about 90% of our belongings. We leased our house and moved into a tiny apartment. We used the funds from the sale to buy plane tickets for Ethiopia on December 27th, just two days after Christmas. Since that time we have been making contact with NGO’s and non-profits already in Ethiopia serving the people.

Even without even seeing Ethiopia themselves yet, Kaytlynn and Harrison are volunteering to tell the story anywhere and to whomever will listen. They have been asking their friends to support them by collecting loose change and needed items to take with them on the trip.

Our hope is that we might be able to change the world for one. One child, one family, one community at a time. We hope to keep our eyes wide open and to Embrace Compassion rather than cover our head when the time comes to face the pain and suffering of the extreme poor in Ethiopia. There is one small community where we will spend some of our time, just outside the capitol city of Addis Abba Ethiopia. It is called Korah (Kore). Many of the locals do not even know this forbidden area that was once just for lepers. It now contains three generations, around 100,000 people, including babies and children scavenging for trash to eat. Orphans are overly abundant, unprotected and unseen.

We know that we may be one grain of sand on the beach or one drop of water in the ocean, but we will not use that as an excuse to not give who we are and what we have. As we have shared with our friends, we have found many others sharing the same hope and dreams for Africa. Many are giving in different ways of themselves and of their resources. We are not alone. The connections are deep and meaningful almost instantly as we are all fighting for something much bigger than ourselves. Much more important than a fancy Christmas tree or a big house.

We will be hosting an informational Christmas celebration complete appropriately with Ethiopian food, music and a story from a new Ethiopian friend who has just lived in the US himself for only 8 months. If you would like to know more how you can be involved or if you would like to share in this story unfolding, come see us at the Bridges Financial and Realty office in Sherwood on December 18th, 2010 at 7pm. If you would like a presentation in your classroom or at your office for the opportunity to make an impact for one, please contact Jen@bridgesfinancial.com. www.embracecompassion.blogspot.com as the story unfolds. Please find me on Facebook as Jennifer Bridges or Embrace Compassion.