Isaac's Bags Of Hope

I went to a woman's conference a couple weeks ago and met some wonderful women that are world changers.  One of them opened my eyes to realize that I won't let my circumstances limit me from doing things from my heart.
One of her stories, how she brought her two year old down town calgary to give out bags, food, and to meet the people that call the street home, touched my heart and made me reflect.
I was inspired, I have always had a desire to give back, pay it forward, or share gifts (whatever you want to call it) with others less fortunate than myself and my family.
I had this new sense of purpose, something other than just my own life, I wanted to help people and some how show my children that life isn't all about how much they can accumulate, what they can acquire for themselves, and that a full life comes from being kind and showing love to other people.

The next week carried on, and I continued to think how I could explain to my son what this huge problem of homelessness was and how we could actually do something about it. 
While on a run one morning I had noticed a homeless person very close to my home all curled up on the river bank. My heart broke and I then realized that I don't need some elaborate way to explain this problem to him. When I got home I sat down with my older son and I explained what I had saw, we discussed what we thought it may feel like to be that man and what he thought about this problem.

He decided that we had to help those people, he first decided we needed to buy a bed and or a car for them which I then explained that we need to help them with what we have and what we can do now (eventually he could do that if he so desired when he was older)..I just love his heart, children don't see the impossibilities they don't hear all the judgements they just think something then believe it.

We figured out a way to raise money and awareness, the goal as I saw it was as much about the people that would receive the bags as it was about the people who purchased the cookies. We wanted people to know what this little boy could do by myself, only being 5 years old he could change the lives of 6 people if not more...what happened when we started this was amazing.

Every where we went Isaac would tell people, we are making and selling cookies for $5...even the cashier at Walmart was overwhelmed with joy to hear this little boys was wanted to help others..it sparked something inside of him that day. Everyone we told wanted to be a part of it. 
Even the donation spokesperson from McDonalds stepped up and donated 2 coffee vouchers per bag after they heard of our story. 
I did not have anyone that heard of our story shy away. They all felt something! Something this little boy was sharing with others..a piece of Hope. 

I pulled out my cookie recipe books and he decided which ones we would make, we bought the ingredients and started making cookies. We made about 9 dozen cookies! Both boys helped with all of them!

We packages them up and went out to sell them, we had an amazing response, special from the wonderful co-workers and owners at the hubby's work:)

We sold all 20 boxes! We even had a very generous donation from Nana & Papa that couldn't have the cookies as they live very far away. Ikes raise $120.00!!! I couldn't believe it. He had a goal to make 6 bags and we had enough money to fill them up!

The loot!! In each bag we were able to put a thermal long underwear, wool socks, shampoo, body wash, granola bars, several pepperoni sticks, candies or chocolate bars, tooth brushes, tooth pastes, hot packs, a gift card for McDonalds, coffee vouchers from McDonalds, and a special note hand wrote from Ikes. 

He wanted to have something in the bags to make this people feel special! 

We packed them up in cute Christmas bags and loaded them into the car to find people that would be in need of them. 

We met a fellow by the man of Michael, he was the very first man we met, he was very polite asking the boys if they liked soccer and telling them that God Blesses them. After the first bag was given out, I could see something growing inside of Isaac, he was grinning from ear to ear. He wanted to give more. 

Ikes was in control of who received the bags, I asked him to tell me who he felt would need them and I would pull the car over.

We found a younger fellow outside the library who immediately opened the package started looking at the stuff and eating the granola bar and shoving the pepperoni sticks in his pocket, obviously very hungry! 
I think that showed Ikes that there was a great need for this. 

The next two were definitely memorable, it was a man and a woman on a street corner with signs asking for change. You could tell that they didn't comprehend why this little boy was giving them these beautiful gifts or even if it was for real. After he explained that they were for them.. there was tears!! These two individuals were some of the most grateful people I have met in my life. They were crying and at one point they didn't even have words! They went on to explain to us their life and that they know being alcoholic's is wrong. We simple 
told them that's not why we are here, not to shame you, just to bless you. 

When we got out of our car for the 5th one, I noticed him and he noticed me, I could tell he didn't expect me to look at him or actually smile at him. He was thankful for the present but even more I think he was just thankful we looked his way and took the time to say hi. This fellow was kind enough to let me take a picture of him and he was willing to give Ikes a guitar lesson, lol! 

We have one more to give and will be giving it out sometime this week.

Though this adventure, the words of my son have changed me.."Lets just help them, mom!" 
It was so practical, simple, small, yet took courage and hope to be open to this. We can't change the whole world with 6 little bags but we did impact many lives and showed people that they are worth caring for. 

What if you listened to that childlike, possibilities are endless voice??

I challenge you to start with a smile, at someone who might not have had anyone even look at them today.

Blessing!