On this Thanksgiving Day I want to share a message about a special mission with you and ask you to think about how often you take for granted the ability to simply share a smile.
The Smile Train is a non profit organization dedicated to changing the lives of children born with cleft palates.
This may not sound like so special but children born in developing nations do not have access to this simple low cost surgery and as a result many of them are abandoned or left to die. This horrible disfigurement severley affects their ability to eat and communicate and if left uncorrected they will grow up leading tortured lonely lives.
In just 45 mins, for as little as $250.00 lives of these kids can be changed forever, giving them a chance at a life they could not even dare to dream of before.
Earlier this year I sent off a moderate donation to the smile train and a few months later I received the before and after photos of a child whose life I helped to change. I was stunned by the difference and it made me feel really good to know that I have helped her. Really helped her in a very tangible way!
So often when I send money to an organization I don’t know how much of it is actually being put to work doing some good and how much of it is going to making Christmas labels to send to folks to try to raise more money. With a staff of less than 40 people The Smile Train is a the largest cleft palate charity there is but they maintain a very low overhead so all of the monies raised goes directly to helping these kids!
This holiday season as you look at the smiling faces of the people in your life, please consider helping to put a smile on the face of someone else, possibly for the very first time!
If that thought is not incentive enough, I would love to discount any play or training sessions with me by the amount you donate. So if you send the Smile Train folks $25.00 for example and show me the letter they send you in thanks, I will discount your next meeting with me by that amount to express my thanks as well! In fact, show me any proof of donation to a children’s charity in 2009 and I will match your donation with a session discount!
Thank you for reading this and I want to wish you and all of yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!
