Monday, May 21st will be the 5th birthday for Inheritance of Hope!
Don’t miss the release of a special video on the website on Monday – www.inheritanceofhope.org!
It only takes a seed . . . That is exactly the way Inheritance of Hope started – one simple idea – a seed.
Two dedicated, humble, tenacious, giving, selfless, loving, people nurtured and grew an idea which has blossomed and matured into Inheritance of Hope. The idea or seed, was that 3 small children did not have to struggle and suffer the way that they were because their mother had a life-threatening illness. Having had both of my parents suffer from life-threatening illnesses at a young age, I can wholeheartedly say “THANK YOU!” What an amazing gift and legacy not only to give to their children, but to so many other families and their children. Inheritance of Hope is not just celebrating a birthday next week, they will also serve their 100th family at the May 2012 Legacy Retreat in Orlando next week as well.
Many times a seed will not grow on its own. It takes time, dedication, nurturing, and love. Every seed has a different recipe for success. A different amount of sun, water, nutrients and specific soil type are required to produce a healthy, prospering plant. The recipe for success for Inheritance of Hope was well thought out and investigated early on and the health of the organization is evident today because of it. However, as it continues to grow and mature, more is needed to develop it into the next level of maturity. The vision is set and steps are taken cautiously to ensure the core of the organization is not comprised with growth. I recently heard one of the co-founders say five elements are needed:
- Prayer for the organization and families,
- Families to be served,
- Volunteers to staff retreats and support Team IOH,
- Awareness of the organization and the mission
- Financial support to fund the mission
Now, five years later, this is more than just an idea and two people (with the love and support of many others) growing a seed. This is now an amazing movement that we can all be a part of and how each one of us can help further grow and develop Inheritance of Hope into the next level of maturity. You can be a part of something great as a family, a volunteer, a supporter and an advocate!!
When you or someone you know is faced with the reality that an illness may rob you of your next birthday, your life perspective changes. We all should live like we might not make it to our next birthday because the reality is we do not know for certain if we will see our next birthday. Milestones become especially important in the face of uncertainty! I remember being almost proud in a way that my father lived to see his 40th birthday. He passed away at age 40 of leukemia, when I was 10, but he hit the milestone first. My mother has different milestones, she is a 24 year survivor of stage IV breast cancer and I am so proud of each of these! I know my being proud of my dad may seem bazaar and may not make sense unless you have been in a similar situation. This is the reason and purpose Inheritance of Hope exists. It really creates a “normal” for families who live everyday with circumstance that are not the norm in the world in which they live every day, especially for children.
So take a moment on Monday to recognize and support Inheritance of Hope’s 5th Birthday! It is a huge milestone that should be celebrated greatly as well as the fact that over 100 families will have been served by the end of May! Go to www.inheritanceofhope.org on Monday to see the release of the video!
Plant your own seed and make it grow!
Blog post written by Angela Bailey, Legacy Retreat Coordinator
