I Can't. Really?

How often do I make excuses for why I can't do something for the world? I am easily overwhelmed by the immensity of the problems. Really, what kind of difference can I make anyway?

Take the Haitian earthquake and the new cholera epidemic, for instance. I don't have any medical skills, and I don't do body fluids. (God was wise not to give me babies.) I couldn't build if my life depended on it; just ask the people who worked with me on my occasional Habitat for Humanity forays.

And so my default mode is to pray and if, especially moved, to make a financial donation. At least that way my little bit combines with others' little bits to support those who actually have the skills.

It takes only a 10-year-old to shame me. (No, not my granddaughter Ashlee this time.) Alexys Palmer saw video of the Haitian earthquake at the Creation music festival and decided she had to do something.

She came up with a great idea. She would make dresses for girls in Haiti. 100 of them. Out of pillowcases. She wanted them all done by November to ship them to Haiti in time for Christmas. There was just one tiny little hiccup (my apologies to Sam in Love Actually for stealing his line). Alexys didn't know how to sew.

It didn't stop her. She had her mom teach her to sew. Now she's halfway to her goal. On each dress she's sewn a pocket, and in the pocket she places a Bible verse translated into Creole. She calls her ministry Lexy's Pockets Full of Sonshine. After she fills her Haiti quota, she plans to make more dresses for a group called Angels in Africa, which cares for impoverished children in African countries. You can watch a video about Alexys to learn more.

Creativity is a beautiful gift from God. Alexys is using hers to meet the needs of his children. May she inspire each of us to use our own creativity to find ways to serve.