Give Kids The World

    In the Beth Moore book, So Long, Insecurity,  she advises you to identify what makes you scared or insecure, and see yourself getting through it.  Because I am definitely a planner, I think that is great advice.  I have imagined myself on the other side of Heath having an affair (boy, would he regret that!).  I’ve seen myself living through his death, my parents passing away, a personal illness, and many other scary scenarios. 

    However, there is one fear I have that is just too great to even imagine.  I cannot imagine either of my boys facing a life-threatening illness.  For all of the things that I take for granted in my life (food, shelter, clothes, love) that is the one thing I remember to thank God for every single night.  In fact, I like to imagine that God has my two boys enclosed in a safety bubble.  And even as I try to control so much of their lives, I am fully aware that I really have no control at all.

      I try to imagine what life would be like if my world was turned upside down, and our every minute was spent wondering if our son would live or die.  If all of our financial resources were used trying to give him every chance to live.  If our days were spent visiting doctor after doctor instead of playing soccer and tennis and baseball.  If my precious baby boy had to endure the physical pain of being sick, along with the poking and prodding that came with all of our attempts to make him better. 
   
    Millions of families face this every day.  And while there is no way for me to know exactly how they feel, I can imagine that all they want is to see their child happy.  They can’t control the actual illness, but they can try in every possible way to see their child smile and laugh and be carefree...the way all children should be. 

    This is where you and I come in.  There is a place in Central Orlando, called Give Kids The World Village.  It was founded by Henri Landwirth, a hotelier in Orlando who was known to help sick children fulfill their dreams of visiting theme parks in that area.  As a hotelier, he helped countless children fulfill this dream, until one day, a trip took too long to plan and a little girl named Amy died before ever getting to see her wish come true.  He decided that should never happen again and he went to work.

     Today, thanks to Henri, there is a whole Village.  It is a 70-acre resort with over 140 Villa accommodations.  It has entertainment attractions, whimsical buildings and plenty of fun that is specially designed for children with special needs.  Because of generous donations and sponsors, Give Kids the World Village has been home to more than 115,000 families from all 50 states and over 70 countries.
    
      In September, I am going to visit the Give Kids The World Village with a few other of my Disney-loving friends who also happen to be on the Disney Moms Panel with me.   If you know me, you know that Disney World is a very special place to me.  I have so many wonderful memories of fun times there with my family, and that is why I am teaming with my friends to try and raise funds so that families facing really bad times will be able to have a little bit of magic in their lives.  Magic and fun that they otherwise could not afford. 

   

Amberville

     TODAY IS LAUNCH DAY FOR OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORT!  OUR GOAL IS $15,000.  

We chose today because on April 18th, 2012, Give Kids The World will celebrate more than 2 million volunteer hours served!  That is an amazing achievement and also a testament to the dedication of those that feel passionately about the mission of the Village. 


     I hope that this has touched your heart and you feel led to help us reach our goal.  93 cents of every dollar donated will be used to fulfill a child's dream.  All donations will be tax deductible and you will get a receipt for it no matter how you choose to pay (online or by check). 


To make a donation, visit our Giving Website .  You can also read more about Give Kids The World and learn about some really exciting prizes and drawings that will be happening in our efforts to raise money.

Also, be sure and "like" the Disney Fans Give Kids The World Facebook page!

Join our conversation on Twitter!  #DisneyFansGKTW

      Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!  I really, sincerely appreciate it.  I would like to share the words of one mom whose family visited Give Kids The World.  This and so many other testimonies are in the book “In a Perfect World” that is available at the GKTW shop online.....

    “When you are faced with the heartache of watching your child die, you wonder why the world still continues on, oblivious to your pain.  Some days are good, others are really, really bad.  For 6 days, at a Village made for kids like him, we did not wonder what tomorrow holds.  We lived each day, oblivious ourselves to our son’s condition.  We felt no pain, cried only tears of happiness, and for one week, we were normal and the rest of the world was different.” 

WATCH A VIDEO ALL ABOUT GIVE KIDS THE WORLD VILLAGE

To see more photos of the Give Kids The World Village, click here!

Please read about how each child that visits Give Kids The World Village gets to make a wish on their very own star  to be given to the Star Fairy and then placed on the ceiling at the "Enchanted Castle of Miracles"...