I missed answering Blog Buzz questions while on vacation, I just didn't have time but now hopefully I'm back on track. This week the Red Letters question is on explaining extreme poverty to our kids.

With Olivia, being 6, she understands this much better. When Oprah did her special on the school she started I used some of that show to give Olivia a glimpse into what we had already begun talking about with regards to poverty, especially in Africa. She was able to see kids living in huts with dirt floors, etc. It really opened her eyes to what I had tried explaining. How can you really imagine that without having seen it somewhat. I know I still can't fully grasp the meaning of that until I see it myself firsthand. She has a beautiful heart and talks of these people often whom are affected by this kind of extreme poverty. Olivia receives an allowance each week, some of which goes into a saving jar for college, some to a spending jar, and some to a giving jar. This money in the giving jar is used to "sponsor" a child in our school district at Christmas, or give to causes such as those shown on KidsLAKE. She loves the giving jar and the idea of giving to those who truly need the help.

In addition, we also sponsor two children. One is through World Vision and is a part of their Hope Child program helping communities ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. The second is a child living at AHOPE orphanage. His sponsorship helps provide the HIV medicine he so desperately needs and will help him to be strong and healthy. We have pictures of these children in our entry and the kids know we sponsor them and some of what that means and why we do that.

Extreme poverty is difficult to explain, but I think that my kids understand it the best they can and pray that as they grow they will have an opportunity to help first hand in some of these areas. I believe God will use them in magnificent ways!