How a person can feel more at home in a poor African village than with her friends and family in a well off town is really remarkable. What Katie witnesses in this village is very tragic. "Children sleeping in piles like dogs on dirt floors; mothers who brewed alcohol to make money feeding their children the mash from which it is made to dull the pain of starvation; crowds of people who haven't eaten for days fighting like savages to access a pot of beans" (4). As crazy as it may sound, it almost feels like this story isn't about Katie Davis. Kisses from Katie is God's story with Katie Davis as the main character. She knows that without God, nothing she did would have been possible. She believes that everyone should know the love she does and she knows the only way they will is if she lets God show the love through her.
While reading this book a couple philanthropic themes really stood out to me. Katie Davis give time, money, and hope to the village in Uganda and doesn't expect any type of reward besides the satisfaction in her heart. She could have stayed in her wealthy town and went to college to create a better for herself. But God has shown her that she meant to make a difference. Katie says, "In the beginning I would have described it as God turning my world upside down, but now I know that he was actually turning it right side up! I thought the life I left behind, in which I could have easily dropped $100 on shoes. Now I look around and realize $100 could provide a staving family with food for months" (23). She would rather live in a rundown home with less food, just so she can make a difference in children's lives. Katie also demonstrates acts of putting others before herself. She makes sure her 14 daughters are bathed, up to date with vaccines and shots and fed, before Katie thinks to take care of herself. Katie admitted that it was hard to adapt to the new lifestyle and at times craved American food.