Laura Bretan is scheduled for an event benefiting Star of Hope. If you are in Portland Oregon this weekend then don't miss it. Laura and her team have been to Romania and visited the work of Star of Hope. Star of Hope has been active in Romania since 1989 and we are blessed to have this event as Laura is so very talented and kind, it is a sheer and utter joy to watch her perform.

Saturday, Oct 28 6:00 PM - Philadelphia Romanian Church 5544 SE 128th Ave Portland, OR.
This is a Charity concert supporting children with disabilities in Romania. Star of Hope is deeply thankful to the Bretan's and the Philadelphia Romanian Church. Join us!
See also https://www.facebook.com/OfficialLauraBretan/

#starofhope

This young man skipped his coffee, simple and effective!

Wow, we are in week one of our 2-week #skipittogiveit campaign, and we are very excited to see how many churches around the world have decided to take part and join Star of Hope.

What can you skip? It's not too late www.starofhope.us/skip

We've been preparing for this campaign for a long time and some people have asked, how can you do this for Haiti after all the disasters that have happened here in America. Especially what happened in Houston, the tragedy the loss. It's unimaginable unless you've actually been there in Houston or a similar disaster.

Well, imagine that same destruction over and over and mothers and fathers starting over and over again. Crying and depressed as their family suffers. Then imagine there is no social network to help, no family with any means. This is the normal day in Haiti for a large part of the rural population. All are in the same boat, that boat is called ruin and hopelessness. That's why we could not stop the "Skip it to Give it" campaign,

We decided to do #skipittogiveit over a year ago and we have to stand by our word! Would you stand by yours? So, if you're wondering in the back of your mind why in the world are you doing this for Haiti when there's so much going on in the US right now the fires the flooding the Hurricanes it's because we gave our word that's the kind of organization we are.

We have now, what I think are some fun reports about what different people are skipping. Some photographs of some people just like you and what they will skip for Haiti.

Over the next few days, we will be presenting photos of different people showing what they skipped.

Star of Hope's work in Haiti began in 1974. We work with primary and elementary school activities as we share the Gospel. The goal of our school projects is to provide children with a good start to life and a better future through education.

We currently run seven schools in Haiti. All children receive basic education and school lunch. They have access to clean drinking water and toilets. The school year begins in September and ends in June. Teachers are trained on a regular basis.

It's not just the schoolchildren who get help. We also work with long-term urban development projects, which many thousands of villagers are taking part in.

Join us for Skip it to Give it!

Who among you will join us and skip something for a good cause? We are four girls who have a girl lunch date every Sunday.
Tomorrow, we will support Star of Hope and the Skip it to give it, campaign. We want you to #skipittogiveit to!
We will skip over our lunch and just sit and talk and have fun, all for a good cause. Then together with Star of Hope, we will have an impact!

www.starofhope.us/skip

Our prayers go out to Houston and the victims of the flooding. 

Many have asked if we are collecting for the efforts and the answer is no, we do not work in the USA however if you are having trouble deciding who to give to please do your research.

Here are some tips from #huffingtonpost:

1. The IRS Nonprofit Charities Database has a tool called “The Exempt Organizations Select Check Tool”. This tool allows you to enter the name of an organization and see if the organization is exempt or not. It is important to verify that an organization that claims to have a 501(c)(3) tax exemption is actually exempt. If the organization is not exempt, your donation will not be tax-deductible.

2. Charity Navigator rates charities based on their financial health, accountability, and transparency to help donors make informed decisions about their contributions. #CharityNavigator has evaluated over 8,000 tax-exempt charities. If your chosen organization is not included, you should be sure to find out why.

3. #GuideStar maintains information on 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Financial documents, such as the 990, help you evaluate the legitimacy of an organization. The 990 discloses where and how an organization’s donations are spent, including the earnings of top officers. All nonprofits are required to have up-to-date 990’s available to the public. If an organization does not have this info readily available or is not forthcoming if you request it from them, you may want to reconsider your donation.

Foto:#NASA Harvey 

Also please Pray:

For the safety of those in the path of #HurricaneHarvey.
For the many people, churches, and families affected by this hurricane as they face an unknown future.

Some organizations that I feel you should look and decide for yourself are:

The Greater Houston Community Foundation @greaterhoucf https://ghcf.org/

EFCA ReachGlobal Crisis Response @TheEFCA https://go.efca.org/

Star of Hope Mission (unaffiliated with star of hope us)  @StarOfHope www.sohmission.org

Good Church Houston https://www.goodchurch.us/ 

Blessings

Mark Presson 

CEO

WHY GIVE SOMETHING UP

Why start a paragraph with the topic of resentment, well it is one thing that will happen if you're asked to give something up, even to help another person. Some say it is also a defense mechanism or even a fear. This chatter is found all over the internet, yes even a US congressman suggested recently that some of the less affluent members of society should give up their telephones. That thought was met with vigorous speech both for and against his opinion. It is so easy for all to think "this or that and post a comment" then boom, it's out there, all this chatter positive, negative, and all in between. You can imagine, the poor with phones were against giving them up and resented the congressman's statement.

Another example of this right now in the United States is Healthcare. Health care is a multifaceted problem with multifaceted solutions from hundreds of thousands of people who at most think this and that about the magical solution, most of those solutions involve some element of people being asked to give something up. Nobody likes to give anything up, especially when it comes to their health or their families health care. I believe, not very many people will be happily on board to give something up, to help the common good. Yes, there is an opposite element but not proportionately large.

Let's go over the top. Let's talk about giving a pint of blood. What would it take for you to give up a pint of blood? A blood drive, a friend, or would it take something like a critically wounded person lying bleeding on your lawn or in your living room and the emergency personnel screaming we need a pint of blood to save this person. I wonder who would give sooner, or later, or neither.

I guess the same argument and a similar visualization could be used for food and education.

We don't have a good visual for a child who never went to school. Sometimes we need a stronger message, we need someone to paint the image of the child. For children who missed an education, I say, that might of been the person to cure cancer or the one to invent clean energy. Sometimes I think that one might have brought democracy and freedom or better yet the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Then, I have often wondered why it's so much easier for a child to give something up than for an adult. My name is Mark Presson, I am the CEO for Star of Hope I can write and say this because I have traveled and met people and seen the reactions.

I've been talking to groups, youth, adult, children, and families and I see and experience that children give easier than adults. I never take any donation from a child unless of course their parents are there and want to do a lesson of the giving, yet you would be amazed at how many children would give up the $2 in their pocket that they were going to use for candy or ice cream and give it to me after I have shared with them about how little children have it in some of the poorest places on our planet.

The children I am speaking of have no resentment whatsoever; these children are full of emotion with joy and want to give from their heart. Were we all like that once?

Yes, we have grown used to hearing the critic's voice, it is easy for the critic to be heard, (thank you internet), some say, “shall I give to these non-profits with super inflated salaries" or we hear “let me tell you I am broke and I take care of mine only" and then some just say "...good for you Star of Hope and Good luck" but we are not giving now.

People who give, specifically adults, who give by choice are usually happier people than most. I did not say more affluent, more important or simply richer; no, they are just happier. It is proven that those who give of their time, talent or treasure are happier, fact.

From blood to coffee: a study done last year showed that the average America spends close to $1,000 on coffee per year per person. That is an incredible amount of money and I don't know if I believe that number, but it’s one we can work with and think about if we or you could perhaps go without a coffee.

I wonder, can we give up a few coffee drinks under a short specified time and do something fantastic with that money. Yes!, I used the money word! Just like a small amount of blood can save the one who needs blood and also the same thing could be said about the small amount of cash from foregone snacks, candy, chips, coca-cola, an entertainment expense. Yes, we probably all spend a lot more than we think we do.

I feel the huge "elephant in the room" in the USA with money is of course retirement and we are not talking about that, however, a close second with all people is trying to get an iron grip on the amount of their discretionary spending. Generally speaking, we're not very careful with our personal discretionary spending and that is the money I want to talk to you about right now as it is often 2, 3, or 5 times more than we "feel" it was or is, but of course, if and when we look at the credit card or check statement we just shake our heads and say hmm or worse.

I want your help with the allocation of a small amount of your discretionary spending, specifically the part that comes from you "giving something up in partnership with no resentment". I do not want your 10% tithe, I don't want your paycheck, I do not want your boat or that old hot rod or other gifts and there is a reason why.

A small portion of your discretionary (think voluntary) spending can change a life, It can educate, heal, build, share, care and more. All the small amounts when put together make a huge force of change.

There are people who need your help and you can help them very simply by giving up an indulgence, a movie, or dinner out. It will make you stronger too. This inner strength comes from a project that will support you. It is called (Skip it to Give it) or #skipittogiveit. “Skip it to Give it” happens for two weeks in October and you can do it individually, in your family, or a group.

I am asking you the question, will you let a coffee or a snack take the role of "life changing for a child in need?" Please then take a look at the campaign page, see who and what your coffee, candy, snack, dinner cash will do and then ask yourself when you're finished looking at the page and the video that explained all things about the campaign “why not, why can't my family give something up for 2 weeks and help somebody? Pretend they are bleeding in your living room and then ask "will I help"?

Join "Skip it to Give it" here.

Thank you and Rich Blessings to you and yours!

Get the package here!
Mark Presson CEO 

Did you hear how easy it is to Skip it?

”Skip it to Give it”. we want you to get your groups involved and #skipittogiveit.

We are doing this!

Did you know, it is simple to be a part of "Skip it to Give it".

It takes place over a 2-week period. October 16-29 is suggested but any 2-week period is fine.

People are encouraged to give up a daily item for 2 weeks and instead put the money they saved into the provided envelope.

People are encouraged to increase prayer for the people of Haiti for the 2 weeks.

Envelopes are collected and returned to Star of Hope.

You then receive updates from Star of Hope about how your money was used to help the Haitians.

Do not delay sign up your group now, it is going to be great!

Thank you!