Category Archives: Stories

A different kind of day

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Nathaniel Hurd in Advocacy, Stories

I found myself in a hot, dusty camp on the border with Ethiopia, where Somalis who had fled their homes because of violence and the worst drought in 60 years were living. It’s there that I met Habiba. Habiba is a 47-year-old mother of 10. She and her family used to grow bananas and mangoes and raise animals. But the drought destroyed their crops and killed all of their animals: 100 cattle, 200 goats, and 500 chickens, all gone....

Meeting Doctor

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Rachael Dill Boyer in Child Sponsorship, Stories

Some of my new year resolutions are personal — like finishing grad school and running another half marathon. But my resolution to keep sponsoring children through the organization I love gives me an outward focus. Nearly eight years ago, before I started working here, I sponsored a child through World Vision. It didn’t matter whether the child was a boy or a girl, or from any particular country. I just wanted to help a child who needed a sponsor....

Experiments in empathy — a new year’s resolution

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Elizabeth Esther in Stories

Experiments in empathy | World Vision blog

My 4-year-old twins love to play “pretend house” — especially if I play along as their baby. “You has to take a nap, OK, baby?” Jorie said to me. Obediently, I climbed into her crib. She piled blankets, stuffed animals, and dolls on top of me. “Now go to sleep wif no more talking!” Jorie commanded in a voice that sounded spookily like my own. I pretended to cry. The twins chuckled. “Baby, go to sleep!” Jasiel commanded. “NO!” I shouted. The twins burst into laughter. I kicked my feet and pouted. Jasiel fell to the floor she was laughing so hard. They rolled around for a minute until I announced I was scared of the dark. Jorie stood up...

The best 11 articles of 2011

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Lindsey Talerico-Hedren in Stories

With 2012 arriving this weekend, there is much to reflect on from the past 365 days — lessons learned, feats accomplished, and regrets, if any. And, of course, there are those daunting new year resolutions about getting fit, giving more, and making commitments to everything from the gym to church to relationships. When you think of it like that, the week of the new year can be somewhat emotionally overwhelming. Goal-setting a year in advance is a difficult and cumbersome process on it’s own. So why not hang out in 2011 just a wee bit longer? The year is not over yet! These are our 11 best (and by “best,” we mean most read and most liked) blog articles from...

Remembering families in the U.S. this New Year

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Laura Reinhardt in Stories

Every year about this time, I list goals for the upcoming year — new year resolutions, if you will. I know it’s kind of cheesy, but I love that feeling of starting fresh. Then, I think about some of the families I’ve met in my work as a World Vision communicator in the United States, and I realize that they don’t have time to think about these kinds of goals. For many U.S. families living in poverty, it’s a struggle just to provide food and shelter for their loved ones. One such family is the Cutrights from West Virginia....