Hope in a 6" x 9" envelope

Our family decided to do something different this year. We have four children already, but we agreed we could use a couple more so we looked into the program for child sponsorship offered by World Vision and we liked what we learned.

We are delighted to include Suela and Tatevik in our thoughts, prayers, and hopes for a better world for all children.

Suela is 11 and she lives in Albania, one of the poorest countries in the Mediterranean region. Albania is small, mountainous, and largely Muslim. Its greatest child-related problem is an inordinately large population of street children -- all ages, both genders -- and the evils of international child trafficking.

Tatevik is also 11 and lives in a rural region of Armenia, a former Soviet republic and now independent and struggling to pull itself up by the proverbial bootstraps. Its greatest child-related problem is just plain old poverty and a lack of solid educational opportunities in the more remote areas.

My girls refer to Suela and Tatevik as "the girls overseas." This is good. I want my children to think about someone besides themselves, to realize that not everyone in the world lives like we do in America, that not every young girl has a closet of nice clothes, books to read, or toys to enjoy. Nevermind the realities of no indoor plumbing or heating.

Once we got our sponsorship packets from World Vision we began strategizing as to how we can best help these girls. Obviously, our monthly donation (about what we'd spend to eat out as a family of 7) is important. But we also have the opportunity to send them small gifts.

The hitch? They must fit in an envelope no bigger than 6" by 9" -- about the dimensions of a large paperback book.

Other than sending trinkets or small school supplies like pencils and notepads, what else will fit?

You might be surprised. I know we are!

We've discovered that, folded, rolled or positioned just right, we can fit a fleece pullover. Or a bookbag.

The possibilities are endless, and as we go about our regular errands we will now be on the lookout for things that we can send to "the girls overseas."

I am heartened by my daughters' enthusiasm to share. Neither of them balked when I brought home an entire back of girly odds and ends from the store -- the very things my girls love to have -- only to tell them that it was all for Suela and Tatevik. They seemed to understand that no matter what we send to Albania or Armenia, it is but a drop in the bucket compared to what they will always have.

If you, dear readers, have ever enjoyed the challenge of seeing how many football players can fit in a phone booth, how many college students can stuff into a Volkswagon, or how many giggly girls can fit inside one elevator car, consider visiting www.worldvision.org.

For just $35 a month per child, you too can put to use the geometry you learned in school and thought you'd never need.

What can YOU fit in a 6" x 9" envelope? Don't sit there wondering. Go find out!!!!!!!!!