Hey there! This is Hayley Skoog. My mom and “Office Jesus”, (AKA Paul Hurckman), asked me to write something on what I think about the Hope for Dinner campaign for her blog. When I first heard about Hope for Dinner, I got pretty excited and wanted to do something. Last time when I had an opportunity to do something like this, my parents said no because they thought I wouldn’t be dedicated enough. So this time, I kind of wanted to prove them wrong. I decided what I would do to raise money is to bike around Orchard Lake, (which is 4 miles around), and get people to support me. My goal is to bike 200 miles. I also plan to bike alongside those that are running in the Run For The Boarder 100 mile, 4 day run in July. Also, when I’m biking, I wear this shirt that says “Bike 4 Burma” on the back, so people know what I am doing. I also wanted to make a webpage to spread the news and to get some people to support me. I talked this over with my parents and this time they did say yes. So far, I have gone 66 miles. Doing this is really fun, but also it makes me feel great that I can do something to help other people.
When I was younger, I always wanted to help others, but I felt so helpless and thought I was too young. I learned later on in life that you’re never too young or too old to help the Kingdom of God. For me being a young teen, I didn’t know what I could do. I realize you don’t have to just go on a 100 mile run or bike across the state. What Emma and I did was throw a birthday party, and instead of presents we asked for donations for Hope for Dinner. Also for our birthday, we went to Feed My Starving Children, and were able to see and pack firsthand the food that the money we are raising is going toward.
There are so many simple things you can do to help others, sometimes it’s just asking God what he wants you to do and then doing it. These people in Burma and others places in the world have nothing and while they are starving and thirsty, we are “busy” with our friends, schedules, phones, and trying to get the latest upgrade for our phones. We get caught up in the worldly things that our culture says is right, but God’s word does not say the same. It says in Matthews 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Yet we cannot serve both God and money.”
Lately, I’ve just been more aware of what I have and desire to be even more thankful for it. I look at my life and I just think that I am really blessed. I have a great family, great parents, friends, an amazing church, and even though I don’t always enjoy this, a great school. Sometimes you can get caught up in your own life and not enjoy just the simple things. I was thinking about this on Friday night, we were sitting by the bonfire and spending time together as a family. I was really sad thinking about the end of school and I was already worrying about high school. My mom asked what was wrong and I told her. She replied back, “You should be grateful for everyday that God gives you. You are not promised the next month, week, or the next day. So live in this moment right now Hayley.” I learned from her that I should live in the very moment I am in, and enjoy what God has given me for this day.
So what I can do right here and right now, is help in my own way the Hope for Dinner campaign. I can pray for the Burma refugees, I can give what I have, and I can bike- in hopes of raising some funds and awareness to some people in our world that really need it.
Here is some pictures from our birthday celebrations. If you are interested in supporting please click this link right here. Thank you!
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