I think I’m a rare American.

Ever since I was a little boy, I have always wanted to travel–to get out of my town and see the world. The difference wasn’t the desire to travel; it was the reason behind traveling. I’ve always wanted to see the world’s people, especially the hurting, the lowly, and the ones in need. I didn’t have big plans to take a trip to Europe and sightsee or travel to Fiji to snorkel and lay on white sandy beaches. I wanted to see the poor, the impoverished.

My Own Travels

I got my first opportunity to leave the boundaries of America when I was 16. I went to Mexico and stayed for two weeks with an aim to visit small, remote villages and towns. I went with a group of friends and parents. We traveled from village to village to spend time with the people. We brought them clothing, food, and best of all, our poor attempts to speak Spanish (they loved it). My trip to Mexico started a slight obsession with the poor and needy of the world. After Mexico, I took trips once a year. So far, I’ve had the privilege of sharing precious moments with the people of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, India, and South Africa.

What I Learned

These experiences radically changed my worldview at a very young age. Whether I was educating young African children on AIDS prevention or caring for the dying in Mother Teresa homes, my heart learned something new every day from the poorest of the poor. They gave me something money never could; they gave me themselves.

They gave me time, the honor of helping and adding a little restoration to their lives. They taught me that the greatest joy comes from great sacrifice and that anything of any value in life requires much. They taught me to love and be loved aside from material possessions and accomplishments. They taught me about true riches and to never value money or things above the needs of people.

A Challenge to You

I know that I am among the few who have taken time with the world’s poor. Going to Hawaii or the Bahamas seems much more appealing, but I want to recommend a challenge. Replace a planned family vacation or leisure trip with an intentional trip to an impoverished place in the world. You can always join up with a nonprofit that can assist you in making arrangements for a place to stay, a translator, and different locations in which to help. You can take a short trip to the borders of Mexico or a longer trip to Africa. No matter where you decide to go, ready your heart, because you’re about to have a revelatory experience. After you see how most of the modern world lives, you will change the way you go about your everyday life.

The second part of the challenge is to make some significant changes in your spending. One of the easiest ways to contribute to aiding the world’s poverty is to replace your normal gift-giving for birthdays, anniversaries, and the holidays with homemade and more meaningful gifts. Give a large portion of the money you would otherwise have spent on expensive gifts to the world organization of your choice. You can also keep a running account in your house of loose change. Gather your kid’s pennies and your pocket change and drop it into a jar. At the end of every month or year, cash it in and use it to contribute to the world’s needs.

Don’t Think–Just Do

Everyone can make a difference, even in the smallest ways. Don’t think about it–just do it. Make plans today and implement change to help the global family. You never know how much change can be made by your little sacrifice.