Cries of the Poor

It's been a while since I lasted posted some good Straub... I love this one!

The Cries of the Poor

We need more than an emotional response
to the plight of the poor,
we need more than feelings of
sorrow and regret.
We need to be moved
by grace
to action.

When we hear the cries
of the oppressed,
the cries of the poor,
we hear the voice of God.

Where there is weakness,
there is God.

We need to ask God
to shatter our complacency,
to strip us of our need
for comfort.

No words necessary

Circumstance.

Our circumstance doesn't determine our future. That's a popular and powerful phrase. But if you take time to really think about circumstance, it's depth is unbelievable. Cirumstance. Some people believe that there is no circumstance and that God has put each person where He wants them for a reason. Regardless of which of these you believe, or which is 'correct' in any sense of the term, we are who and where we are and we cannot change all parts of that.

Lots of times people ask me why I help people around the world. Why can't I help people here, because lots of people right here in our own country need help. This is true. I have never denied this. However, we have SO many resources for people to take advantage of in the US.

When Hope Aid was founded, it was done so because resources are not available, and when they are, not everyone has access. Hope Aid is a bridge for that.

Helping others isn't just a 'calling' or 'passion' for me, it's what I feel like I was born to do. Why are some people born into wealth and enough when others are born in mud huts leaving much to be desired? I wasn't born into wealth by any means, but I was born in a country that has more than enough. A country whose people are cared for via government assistance or community organizations. Shelters may be full, but there are often many options for someone who is homeless. Work may be hard to come by, but there are plenty of jobs that will pay money.

Not everyone has that luxury. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, these are just some thoughts that I've been thinking for a while but after watching the trailor for The Mountain Thief, I decided to go head and post. Fresh Prince is on and I can rap the entire intro song. That's sad. It's after midnight and I've obviously lost my thoughts here... good night! Let's talk more about this! Have you blogged about it before? I'm thinking I might try Do Something Monday again. I removed the linky from my blog but I think I need Do Something back. It kept me humble. It kept things real.

Good night all!

40 Days of Water: Challenge!

Challenge time!



In November, Abbie set up a Fast and Feast Challenge for Thanksgiving... I didn't fast, but I did pray during my time slot and at random times throughout the day. This idea sparked D and I to try our own challenge... but it didn't exactly go as planned...



So I'm trying yet another challenge. This time, I am going to do better!



Here's the plan... to drink only WATER for 40 Days!



We'll begin on March 1st and continue through April 9th (lenten season). Blood:Water Mission, the organization hosting the challenge, is suggesting that the money participants would have spent on beverages be donated towards their well fund. I think there are a few options here; that is one, another is sending the money to your favorite charity, or simply using this challenge as a time to reflect and remember those less fortunate and to remind ourselves of Him who truly satisfies thirst.

BWM was founded by Jars of Clay, a passionate group of musicians with a heart for Africa! Read more about how BWM was founded here.

"Blood:Water Mission is partnering with groups and individuals to empower Africans to build healthier communities through sustainable clean blood and clean water solutions, while developing social responsibility in the U.S. through initiatives that provoke personal engagement and ownership."

Blood:Water Mission has a shop on their site that has some really neat water bottles. I happen to be a fan of Nalgene myself and even contributed my two cents to our company's blog.

Don't forget to check out Blood:Water Mission's blog!

I'm sure I'll post more about this later... lunchtime blogging is just not sufficient enough! :)

JOIN ME!!!

Got Water?

The scarcity at the heart of the global water crisis is rooted in power,
poverty and inequality... (UNDP)

Did you know that, according to people who study human development, a person needs a little more than 5 gallons of water each day to survive? Given the extreme drought in many parts of Africa, millions of people are having to live on less than a gallon per day. Even if water is available, access to clean water is not. Therefore, people are consuming dirty water leading to many horrific health ailments. Where are the doctors? Wait - no food, no water, I'm sure education is high up on the list of concern for these folks.

There are SO many organizations that are trying to do good and many are working very hard at accomplishing their goals. But with the economy strapped all over the world, it's difficult for anyone to accomplish much of anything. Or is it? I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Compassion International actually reported an increase in child sponsorships despite the economy's current state.

As the world seems to fall apart, what are you doing to make it better? I skipped Do Something Monday this week. Next week I'll pick back up with it and report on our situation in Goma.

Phone call, Rwanda

I'm not really sure how to begin this post. Today, I'd planned to write about my word for 2009, but things changed when I got a call from my friend George. George Riess does what I do with Hope Aid, except, his projects are in Rwanda. There, he works with Sister Pat (Franciscan order nun, TOR). Sister Pat has visited NC numerous times in the past few years and I've had the opportunity to visit with her on each trip. She is the most selfless person I've ever met and will do anything for the children she works for in Muhororo.

George, and Bridge to Rwanda, has partnered with Hope Aid on a few things but mostly we seek counsel and support from one another. Today, George called with disturbing news. One of their board members, Dr. Sylvia Gleason just returned from Rwanda a couple of weeks ago. She went to compile reports and conduct reviews of the projects, but when word spread that an American physician was in town, she was quickly rushed to Goma in neighboring Congo. There was an immediate need for help at the hospital and she was going to be that help.

The UN has apparently been bringing children from the streets to the hospital. Infants come in one door and caskets leave another door. Children are dying because they cannot breathe. George and Dr. Gleason are urgently trying to get a suction machine and stethoscopes, among other things, to Goma.

When the phone rang just now, George had one question... Could Hope Aid help? Unfortunately, our funds are restricted. I hated saying that. I hated it with everything I had in me. We are such a small organization and our mission, while open, is focused on Uganda right now. All of our current funds are designated to either the school project or the clinic in Fort Portal. And we don't even have a lot of money in our account at that.

I told George that he should contact Dr. Sylvester Odeke. We worked together a couple of years ago to bring George Okudi to NC for a concert to raise money for a hospital project. Dr. Odeke also lead two medical mission trips to Uganda for medical students at the university. If anyone can help, it's him. I'm praying he has some contacts that can get the needed machines to Goma.

I also suggested that my friend, Irene, who is going to her first country of Rwanda in February and March may be able to take something along. Irene is a pharmacist so she would be able to gain medical clearance if necessary.

I write all of this to share with you how very near and real poverty and suffering is to me. I may not know what it feels like to be starving or to have watched my child die because I chose not to feed the weakest of my children, but this is not just a photograph or an image. It is real. It is happening to people that I know and people that I care deeply about. It is one of the reasons Hope Aid exists.

Please, if you are passionate about something, don't just write about it or think about it. Do something. Do something to make a difference for some one. Do something to empower yourself to want to do more. That something doesn't have to be big. It can be as simple as committing to praying for a specific cause or it could be as big as collecting money to help a community or project in need.

I've posted a lot about the global food crisis, and I've mentioned the work Hope Aid is doing in Uganda. While I'd love to check the post office and see lots of donations from all of you ;), I know that realistically, each one of us has our passions. Find yours. And make something of it.

This post is actually a wonderful lead into something I am going to write about soon. Don't forget about Doing Something, as you're certain to see it again. In the meantime, please keep the patients in Goma in your prayers. Please keep this mission in your prayers. I'll try to post some updates as things begin happening. Right now, I've got to get in touch with Dr. Odeke so he will be prepared when George and Dr. Gleason call him later.

Inspiring Video

Moms forced to pick which kids eat, which die

Did you know this week is World Hunger Relief Week? I know I've gone on and on about the global food crisis for the last week but the headline in the subject line caught my attention on CNN today. I remember a song I heard years ago (it was a song on a tape [yeah, that long ago!] from Compassion) called Ti Chape. In parts of Haiti children are not named until they are several months old because malnutrition is that bad. So bad that mothers may not even produce enough breastmilk to sustain their infant children. These babies are called "ti chape" until they are named. The article on CNN highlights Haiti and discusses the Wall Street bail out in comparison. Sigh. Check it out.

Why Hope Aid Rocks

It's about time I write about Hope Aid International and why it's an AWESOME organization.

-First, we are small and we are small intentionally. It's because of our size that allows us to know each of our donors. We are able to truly connect people to one another. One of our very first donors gave money towards an income-generating project. Later, we learned that this particular individual wanted to do more to help the family. Another project started, and soon, this beneficiary was able to live on the income from her business and support her family.

-We are transparent. Ask us anything about everything, we will tell you (or show you).

-We are in constant communication with our projects. David and Linda are in contact with not only our school projects, but also with our village projects way across the country. They know exactly what is going on with each person's project and they are able to assist when needed to insure the integrity of the program.

-We are honest, hard-working, reliable, and flexible. We are able to accomodate most requests since we are a small organziation. Need something? Just ask! We might be able to make it happen!

We have some great projects going on right now. First, there's the new secondary school (Hope Secondary School)! We have partnered with a group in the UK called School4Uganda. Elizabeth is the lead on this and she's been able to raise enough money to purchase land and they are currently working on funds for the building itself! This school will be directly across the road from the primary school (Good Hope Primary).

We're also working on a project here in the US to re-build Good Hope Primary School! This building is almost 12 years old and needs some repair work. We've decided to re-build it on classroom at a time. It will cost approximately $2,000 per classroom and we've raised about half of this to date. The new school is a work in progress but we have a great group helping us, Kids with Knowledge!

As if these building projects weren't enough, we are also helping a clinic in Fort Portal with their maternity ward. It's a small, rural clinic that only needs $2,000 total for the project. If anyone feels compelled to help, let me know!

Finally, we still offer school fee sponsorships ranging from $20-50/year. What's the difference? $20 only covers the basics for the child and $50 will cover it all (tuition, supplies, uniform, lunch). Did I mention that is is per year?? We do ask for the funds up front so the fees are covered but you will be able to write to the child who you're helping and you'll receive their photo and school report along with letters. Feel free to send them a special package too! Want to visit? We can help arrange that too!

Last but not least we also provide income-generating projects that range from $10 rabbits to $500 garden projects. Past projects have included rabbits, pigs, goats, cows, brick making, sewing machines, tomato gardens, and chickens.

One more thing...

I just have one more thing to say about the global food crisis and how we can help... for those that claim the Christian faith, we really have no excuse because we've been comissioned and commanded to help those in need. Want proof? I just found these scriptures when I Googled "God and Food Crisis" and I think they are quite appropriate! :)

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. … Defend the rights of the poor and needy." — Proverbs 31:8-9

“…if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice … Is it not to share your food with the hungry …” Isaiah 58:6-7

"For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give -large or small- will be used to measure what is given back to you." Luke 6:38

"Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble! Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day. And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring." Isaiah 58:10-11

"He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses." Proverbs 28:27

"Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Luke 3:10-11

Follow up

I feel like I should follow up on that last post. I'm obviously pretty passionate about the situation with the global food crisis and since the media doesn't fill you in... here's the down and dirty:

What is the crisis all about?
Families in every nation on every continent are affected. Food prices for popular menu items like rice, wheat and beans have doubled in the last year. While increases in food prices have hit all budgets, it's the poor who bear the brunt of this inflation. The higher prices are forcing people who survive on just $1 a day to spend upwards of 80 percent of their budgets just on food. As a result, many people, including millions of children, are going hungry. The longer food prices rise, the more people will be plunged into hunger and poverty.

Why is it happening?
Food shortages have affected developing countries for generations. It's a cyclical problem. But this global food crisis is more rapid, urgent and devastating. Since 2005, food prices have risen a whopping 80 percent...mostly due to rising fuel costs (although my sister just called and said she saw it for $1.89 where she lives, wow!), rising food demand from populous nations like India and China, natural disasters destroying crop yields all over the world (US included), and growth of biofuels.

What can we do?
If you have a charity of choice, call them -- ask what they are doing to help, then donate. If you don't have a charity of choice, you can donate to Hope Aid or one of these other reputable organizations: Oxfam America, UNICEF, Compassion, Mercy Corps.

Then tonight, when you say your prayers and you get to the part about being thankful for your daily bread, remember to pray for all of the people who may struggle to find their daily bread.

And of course, you can join me in sponsoring a child. :) There are lots of organizations out there... Compassion is my favorite. Speaking of, I should write about them. Stay tuned, they're cute!

Luxury or Necessity?

I've been reading a book called Hope Lives (by Amber Van Schooneveld) as part of a study group with some Compassion friends. Last night Amber compared the rich to the poor and discussed how in the US, our per capita is roughly around $37,000 while India's is $530 and Ethiopia's is $90. With the economy in shambles right now a lot of people are feeling their purse strings tighten. Mine included. I am not necessarily feeling it but I am conscious of what I'm spending more so than I was before. At any rate, when you look at global figures, just living in the US inflates your wealth by a ton.

When we look at how much money we spend helping others, how much does it really total. How much are we really giving to people who are less fortunate than us -- are we without? do we spend unnecessary cash? have we reclassified our luxuries into necessities?

Lately I've been trying not to eat out. It's hard as a single person. Cooking for one is easy to do but leftovers are only good for so long and let's just face it, no one wants to eat the same thing day after day. In a typical week I probably pick up food at least 5 times. Working two jobs makes it hard to find time to make much of anything at home. But when I read last night's section of the book and really thought about necessity, I've decided to stop eating out as an excuse. It truly is a luxury and I could take more steps to prepare -- after all, it's no surprise which nights I work. There is plenty of time to make something for later.

As Amber said, "I am the rich fool." I am the one who spends somewhat frivolously. It may not be on an oversized Lexus or a $800,000 house, but I do spend. I. Am. The. Rich. Fool. But I am also aware, which means I can change that. I can decide how and where to spend my money. As the Christmas season approaches I will chant this over and over. Maybe I will memorize Leviticus 27:30-32. Don't know what it says? Look it up!