W4W - Beautiful Connections

Meet Diko, Ina and Boy. They're from Wadupe, South Sudan. Diko and Boy make toy trucks out of plastic water bottles, chase each other with sticks and laugh when tickled. Ina has an attitude almost as big as her smile and can out jump rope all of the girls in her class.

Meet Tyler, Bradley and Emily. Tyler and Bradley go to school in Waxhaw, North Carolina and are great big brothers to their sister Emily. A few weeks ago, Tyler, Bradley and Emily got together with some of their friends at church to sell packets of gummy worms on Valentine's Day. 

The cool thing about it is that the money they made selling gummy worms here pays for Diko, Ina and Boy to get rid of real worms in their bodies over there. Diko, Ina and Boy don't have access to the medicine they need to get rid of the worms that make them sick and keep them from going to school. Tyler, Bradley, Emily and their friends want to help.

To me, this is a beautiful connection, one that sheds light on what's really at the core of Worms4Worms. This project is so much more than providing impoverished children in South Sudan with access to medication. It's this connection, this partnership between kids from completely different cultures, different backgrounds and different stories that brings depth and meaning to the situation. 

Sometimes when it comes to helping other people we often focus on the easy solution of money and miss the opportunity to participate in something greater than ourselves. I think of the story of the good Samaritan in the Bible. The Samaritan could have easily thrown down some money and been on his way. But instead he cleans this man's bloody, broken body, carries him to safety, sacrifices time to care for him and makes a commitment to return and continue the relationship. What a beautiful picture of love. 

This is why I get excited when kids from Waxhaw, North Carolina sell worms on Valentine's Day. It's because these children here get the opportunity to love on children over there through little plastic bags of gummy worms. 

So I will brag on Tyler, Bradley, and Emily and their friends Lydia and Abby. In the next couple weeks these kids are going to sell more gummy worm packets in their neighborhoods. I'm so excited for them but also incredibly grateful. They're giving love back to some kids that didn't hesitate to love on me, and I hope one day they get to meet each other. 

If you want to partner with Worms4Worms, check out the rest of our blog, and shoot me an email at abbyemoore@gmail.com.

Why I do what I do...

In South Sudan, a beautiful African orphan washed my dirty white feet.  The love that little girl lavished on me in that moment was a mere drop in the vast ocean of Jesus’ extravagant love, and yet it changed my life. I want to pour this love out so it floods into the dirty cracks of this broken world, seeps into the dark places and washes away the filth of poverty, injustice and disease until the world can’t help but respond to the majesty and power of His great and beautiful love.  

Creativity justice style

Inspired by Pinterest (who isn't these days) my friends and I decided to write quotes on mugs and bake them. I made this mug for Annika because I am super behind on her Christmas present and she gave me a present that brings me to tears whenever I look at it.

Here's the mug! And the diy pinterest link!

Annika found this fantastic website and had them make me a bracelet with the names of the children I worked with in South Sudan. These kids are absolutely beautiful and the inspiration for Worms4Worms. Now I have a daily reminder to pray for them! You can pray for them too, that the children in Wadupe would have access to the medication needed to make them healthy enough to go to school. 

Adopting Rinah

Today I received an absolutely wonderful email in my mailbox from carissa gallo. My first thought... "Who are you and why are you emailing me?" Unfortunate response I know. But then I remembered I had watched this video last year of a girl just like me (except extensively more creative) wanting to adopt a girl named Rinah from Uganda. The video of course made me cry so I sent them some money. 


This morning I got a thank you email from her saying they had brought Rinah home. Here is an except from the email (I hope it is okay that I am putting this up here)


"This morning I was trying to explain your generosity to Rinah and what it means, and she said, 'Mom, it can be like all of America is about to love me.' ... and that's how we feel. 


Thank you is hard to say for something as deeply precious as this. To receive help to become a family. So our daughter can have a home and family and opportunities she wouldn't otherwise have had. This is big.

We are so filled with joy, each one of us. We can't imagine changing one single thing about these last few days, and even these last few years. We feel like all the happiness in the world is radiating from within and coming from without will cause our small abode to implode into a gigantic symphony of joy."

I am absolutely astounded and blessed that my measly 20 bucks contributed to something as beautiful as this. What an honor to participate in their joy! Check out their happy thankful family video! Let it remind you of the hope we have that good and wonderful things do happen and are attainable :)

Why you should love George Clooney - How satellite technology is saving lives in South Sudan

How satellite technology is saving lives in South Sudan

The Sudan People's Armed Forces (SAF) have launched two attacks on refugee camps in South Sudan, on November 8 and 10. The Satellite Sentinel Project, initiated by George Clooney and John Prendergast in 2010, confirmed the attacks that killed seven civilians. Read more about it and why gorgeous hollywood actors actually do good things sometimes.

                                                                          Photo from Huffington Post

Swords into Plowshares

                              Writing on a wall near the UN Plaza in New York. The quote comes from Isaiah 2.

Shell in the Niger Delta

Amnesty Report on Oil Spills in the Niger Delta

The True "Tragedy"

Check out Pages 44-45 for Responses and things you can do.

Also follow amnesty on twitter