In a few days, most of us will eat from platters of turkey and ham, and bowls of mashed potatoes and carrots. There will be cranberry salad, hot rolls, and, of course, a slice – or two – of pie for dessert.

A meal like that is plenty to be thankful for just by itself.

But if we take a little time, we will likely come up with a list of other reasons to be thankful – for Christ's love for us, for our health, for our family and friendships, for our job, for the colorful leaves that lay in our yard. Our blessings are many.

Not so for the one billion poor living on less than $1.25 a day. While we are carving the turkey, many families will be sifting through garbage dumps or going to sleep hungry.

I want to thank you for your commitment to help us fight such extreme poverty. Without your prayers and support, we could not carry out our mission – a mission that is truly transforming lives in some of the poorest areas of the world.

Take, for example, Priscilla, a 52-year-old woman in Wau, South Sudan. As a girl, she never had a chance to attend school, and so Priscilla struggled through much of her life seeking sense of purpose and dignity. Twenty-five years of civil war -- and countless other factors -- had locked her out of a world of opportunity.