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People Making a Difference

In the past two weeks I have come across three amazing and inspiring opportunities and stories. Please look them over and share with others.

Twelve In Twelve
The first is about a father and two sons living in Charlotte, who over Thanksgiving Dinner, hatched a plan that will forever change the course of their lives.  They will travel to 12 countries in 12 months working in orphanages, schools, townships and with tribes to build a network for change.

Last year, I read a book called, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. The book's focus is about how to make your life read like an interesting and meaningful story. The chapter that most interested me was about a family that transformed their lives by doing a large scale global community service project together.

Twelve In Twelve is an example of a family leaving the comforts of their home and routines for the unknown, in hope of inspiring change in the world. Probably, they will come back the most changed, for an experience like that will be unbelievable. The father, JD Lewis, wants "to teach [his] sons to be the men the world needs."

Wampler Foundation
Steve Wampler, is the founder of an organization that raises money to send children with physical disabilities on outdoor adventures.  By working with local parks and recreation organizations in California, as well as a wilderness camp he attended as a child, the foundation has sent hundreds of children through exciting experiences including scubas diving, water skiing, mountain climbing and cycling.

Did I mention that Steve has a severe form of Cerebral Palsy and gets around in a powered wheelchair?

Island Dolphin Care
Swim with the dolphins - really.

A mother saw how her three year old son was positively effected by swimming with the dolphins after he suffered a stroke. She decided to help out other children with special needs by starting a non-profit organization that enabled children to swim with dolphins. Since 1990, they have been running programs for children with the help of teachers, social workers and...the son who was the inspiration for it all.

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