One

Today as I sat in the kitchen at work eating my lunch, two of the gals I work with were talking about a kid who had raised money for her teacher's husband who had brain cancer. The little girl saved $143.00 ... long story, but her sacrificial spirit was the spark that began a fundraising campaign that has grown far beyond the little girl's original $143.00 gift. When my co-worker finished telling the story, I said, "That just goes to prove that one person can make a huge difference. People who say they're only one person and can't change anything ... that just goes to prove that anyone can make a giant difference." As I walked back to my desk, my mind was filled with thoughts of individuals who've made a tremendous difference in my own life ... people who stayed when they could have left, people who listened when they could have judged, people who loved when they could have hated. I know from personal experience, friends, that one person can indeed make a huge difference in another person's life ... one person can make a life or death difference ... I know because several different someones made that difference for me.

As I drove home this evening, the thought of how much difference one person can make was still on my mind and I couldn't shake the story my co-worker had told about the little girl who raised the $143.00. When I settled in to write this blog, I Googled "kids who make a difference," and I found some really cool stories. I decided to let the inspirational kiddos be most of my blog tonight. Read their stories, and then think about this ... you are one person ... you can make a difference in someone's life ... you sure can.

"Alessandro started a nonprofit organization when he was 12 to raise money to buy mosquito nets for a large fishing village in Senegal, West Africa. He has to date received 2 grants, 1 for $1000 and another for $3000 and raised over $2600 in private donations. Alessandro will have distributed over 1000 nets by the end of February 2013 when he returns from Africa from the second distribution."

"Sebouh started a project called "Bikes 4 Orphans" during the summer of 2012. He is an avid cyclist and when he heard that the orphans at the Machao Orphanage in Makueni, Kenya have to walk 2 hours every day to get to school, he knew that he had to make a difference. He believes that no one should be deprived of a proper education and so he decided to donate bicycles for all the kids at the orphanage."

"Colin's passion for nature inspired him to begin collecting old, unused eyeglasses for delivery and distribution to third-world countries, helping children who can't afford proper eye care so that they can see the world around them and enjoy it like he does. He created flyers and wrote letters to all the classes in his school to help with his project. So far, he has collected almost 100 pairs of eyeglasses, and the project is still growing."

"Lauren and Victoria Coaxum are honor students who shine in and out of the classroom. They are working to promote an anti cyber bullying campaign called 'Think Before You Type.' On their website they post frequent videos that each have a different message of positive encouragement to other teens."

"Hailey loves to educate others about special needs. She participates in her school's Great American Teach-In and also presents with us as a family at the Family Cafe Conference each year. Every summer for the past three years, Hailey also has led a 'Lemonade For Livy' event for friends across the country. All funds raised have gone to Livy's therapies. Her most recent endeavor is to collect different items in need at our local Ronald McDonald House."

One person can make a huge difference. One person like you. One person like me.

All it takes is one.