Sometimes it takes a while for that light bulb above our heads to turn on. I was at a conference in 1993 with hundreds of other Citibankers from all corners of the globe. The background theme song throughout was Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”. I was 38 at the time and had spent most of my life bounded by the Sabine, Rio Grande and Red Rivers. But I got to wondering if Louis was right – what if it is a wonderful world and because of my limited perspective, I’ve only tasted the tiniest sliver. So I set out to investigate.

It turns out Louis was right. People in every country share similar hopes and fears. They dream similar dreams for their children. They welcome strangers. Like Americans, people the world over are deeply patriotic and when you visit their countries and experience their cultures, you understand why.

These similarities mask one major difference – resources. The US accounts for roughly 25% of world GDP, but just under 5% of its population. We are blessed simply by virtue of our birthplace. How we choose to respond defines us as individuals and as a country.

My response is to put my effort toward where I can have maximum impact and encourage others to do the same. So, who are the most marginalized, who are those without any hope that we can impact? One of these groups is undoubtedly the world’s orphans and vulnerable children trapped in institutions in impoverished countries. Working together, we can make a difference – one child at a time; one institution at a time; one country at a time.

Can anyone change the world? Aligning ourselves with God’s heart, the answer is absolutely yes and we multiply our impact when we band together. Why do I readily say “yes” to a question that often elicits skepticism? Because we don’t usually see the ripple effect of what we do. Maybe the child you support today will one day lead his or her country and will do so with compassion and vision because of your generosity.

Russell Crowe captured this sentiment well in the movie, Gladiator – “What we do in this life echoes throughout eternity.”