"The change starts within yourself.  You've got to want something better," says 17-year-old Luisa Ashenfelter. "If everything's got a cycle, then why can't it be a postive cycle.  We might as well have good, postive cycles positive circles rather than having all these negative circles and negative cycles of violence.”

Money for school supplies is limited. John says that after World Vision opened a satellite teacher resource center at his school, his class started to see more supplies. “It helped me to understand that there’s a lot of people in this world that really care.” Bev echoes John’s sentiments saying that having access to the school supplies “validates that somebody cares about what I'm doing.”

The event, which featured games, arts and crafts, and other activities, was organized jointly by White Center’s Mt. View Presbyterian Church and the elementary school. As children entered the gymnasium, a mountain of board games greeted their dancing eyes. Monopoly to Mousetrap, and Candy Land to Connect Four—all gifts from World Vision—waited for their new owners.