Introducing Mary Chung: Social Media Director
I am so happy to be part of this work!
In June of this year I quit my job at a local call center for one of the largest banks in the world. That decision was the biggest leap of faith I’ve ever taken. I had no idea what I would be doing next, but I had come to a point in my life where I needed my days to be spent doing something more….
I wanted my time and energy to be invested in more than making money to pay the bills. Having a purpose meant connecting with others to improve the quality of life. The more we give, the more we receive.
My opportunity for something more came just a month after I quit. I was hired by CDI, a low-income housing development company, in Boise, Idaho, run by the co-founder of 200 Orphanages Worldwide, Fred Cornforth. Unbeknownst to me, while I was seeking greater purpose, Fred and Jan Hanson were in discussions on ways to collaborate to expand the reach of the organization.
After a few brief, thought-provoking conversations with Fred, he had read my personal blog posts about stepping out in faith. Needless to say, he hired me, and a large part of my job is to increase 200 Orphanage’s presence online. My mission is to connect those who want to help with those who need it. It’s a perfect fit.
I admit when I started, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the enormity of the mission. I wondered how I could possibly make a difference in the lives of children on the other side of the world. I was also naïve in my way of thinking about the issue of helping orphans, or at least uninformed.
At some point in my life, I had slipped into the mindset that people, especially children, in underdeveloped countries were unable to help themselves or each other. I thought all the responsibility fell squarely on the shoulders of those of us who have it so much better because “they” are nothing more than helpless victims. “Us” and “them”. Fundamentally different people living in completely different worlds.
That’s the perspective I’ve had as long as I can remember, and it creates a certain level of detachment. Sadly, when I visited an orphanage in Zimbabwe in my early 20s, I felt little personal connection to the children. I was sad that their physical and emotional needs weren’t being met, but I couldn’t see how I could help.
Once I started learning about the mission of 200 Orphanages, I began to see less of “us” and “them” and saw more of “we”. We all have the same basic needs. I see now that when we help each other, we start to look more like a circle of friends, hand in hand, dancing with joy.
One small act of reaching out to someone allows them to reach out to someone, too, and it goes on and on. The more we send out, the more we receive. The more we receive, the more we have to send out, so the music continues, and more people join the dance as lives are touched.
That’s how I want to live my life. Would you like to join the dance? You are invited. The more the merrier! Please have a look at the projects and partners on this website and contact us to find out how you can join in!