Recently a little girl named Maddie* came to Shepherd’s Gate. Maddie was different than many of the other children who come through our doors with her mother and father, lovingly supporting her. Maddie didn’t come here because she needed help, rather this special 8-year-old came because she wanted to help others. This year, when Maddie invited her family and friends to her birthday party, she told them she didn’t want any presents. Instead, she wanted them to bring the money they would have spent on her gift so that she could collect it and donate it to women and children staying at Shepherd’s Gate because they needed help. Maddie wanted to spend her birthday helping others, and her caring heart led her family and friends to help her raise $700 to give to Shepherd’s Gate! When asked why she decided to reach out to others on her birthday, she said simply, “Because of Jesus, I love my life and I want others to love their lives too!” When we shared this amazing story with the women staying here at Shepherd’s Gate they were moved to tears. There was not one dry eye! They felt loved, and because of Jesus, each woman and child is learning to “love their life too.” What an amazing example of true and sacrificial love!