Have You Thrown a Starfish Into the Water Lately?
The Starfish Story by Loren Eiseley
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”
Statistics Have Names
When we first began working in Uganda in 2003, we were overwhelmed by the statistics! There are millions of orphans. We weren’t sure how we could possibly begin to make a dent in the problems of Africa, but then we were reminded of the starfish story. We are not called or capable of helping all of the hurting children or people of the world, but we are capable of helping one child at a time. We are capable of loving one widowed grandma at a time. So, that is what we have done! Together, we have helped hundreds of children.Â
Before we stepped up to make a difference in their lives, they were working as prostitutes, working as slaves, living on water for days at a time. They were not learning to read or write. They didn’t know what it meant to be loved. For some of these children, the 
sun was up and the tide was going out. They were headed for death!
Now many children have been rescued off of the streets and from life circumstances that most of us can’t even possibly imagine! There are still many more children that are within our reach. We can pick them up and give them a 
chance at life. We can let them know they aren’t alone and that someone truly cares for them.Â
Thank you in advance for helping!
Mike and Lori Salley
Show Mercy International
www.showmercy.org
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We want to introduce you to some “starfish” that need someone to pick them up!
Would you consider helping them today?
Bryan is a 11 year old boy who was rejected by his father as soon as his mother gave birth to him. His father ended up dying from AIDs, and his mother remarried. His stepfather didn’t treat him well, and his mother had a hard time providing for him so he was brought to Hope Children’s Home. Bryan likes living at Hope because he can sleep in a bed. His favorite color is red, his favorite subject is science. With your sponsorship of Bryan, you will help him receive the education he needs to fulfill his dreams of becoming a doctor. Click here to help Bryan.
Anna is a 7 year old little girl who lives with her parents in a village in Uganda close to Hope Children’s Home. Anna is fortunate in that she has both her mother and father who love her. She tells us that she “loves them so much” because they never beat her up. Can you imagine? Both of her parents travel to the city of Kampala to work to support the family. Even so, her parents are very poor and cannot afford to provide a quality education for Anna. Anna’s favorite food is rice served with beef and her favorite color is red. Your sponsorship of Anna will provide her with a school uniform, school fees and a healthy meal for lunch during the school year. Let Anna know she is loved and supported today. Click here to help Anna.
