A 12 year old girl is diagnosed with bone cancer. Her friends and family raise $8,000 so that the Make-a-wish foundation can grant her any wish she wants.
She goes through the predictable litany of possibilities...trips, meet a famous person, etc.
Then, in a moment of clarity, she asks,
"what about kids who haven't had the money raised for them? What about their gifts?"
She's told, "well, we do our best."
"Ok, then, my wish is to grant the wishes of the 155 kids in North Carolina who are on the Make-a-wish waiting list."
The volunteers sit back, shocked not only by the generosity of the wish, but by the cost.
The average wish costs $5,500. The entire budget for the year is $825,000. Hope Stout of Charlotte, NC has just asked for a wish that will cost almost 1 million dollars.
But when an idea has power, it spreads.
The Celebration of Hope project is kicked off. A radio interview that will bring tears to your eyes motivates more people to contribute.
And you know what? They do it.
A Legacy of Hope: The Wisdom of a Childlike Faith 
Their immense faith in God is remarkable and their pain is evident.
Is it the greatest prose in the history of the planet? No, but it doesn't have to be. It's as genuine as it gets and what is more genuine than the pain of a parent, helpless in the face of a terminal disease of a beloved child?
There are passages that choke you up and those that elate you. A moving tribute to a girl whose unfortunate circumstances could have been a cause for mourning. Instead, it was a catalyst for positive change (and continues to be) on a scale few of us will ever reach.
Subscribe to RSS Feed