Children living in extreme poverty

I just got a chance to watch the film Slumdog Millionaire this weekend, and if you haven't seen it yet, you should.  It's very well done, but the beginning was extremely difficult to watch - thank goodness it has a happy ending.  We watched the first part, when the main characters are young children, on Saturday night and had to stop it.  At that point, I didn't think I could bring myself to watch the rest - the extreme poverty that those fictional kids lived in is what millions of children are dealing with in the real world.  To see that children are living that way, in trash dumps, searching for food, and being taken advantage of by evil adults, was heartbreaking.  I forced myself to watch the second half of the movie, which wasn't nearly as hard to watch - like I said, it has a good ending - because I didn't want to turn away from the ugliness of poverty.

Anyway, that night as I prayed I was crying, feeling guilty about my rich, western lifestyle but desperate to help and completely lost as to how to go about doing it.  What can be done, I pleaded with God?  Well, I still don't know - but I feel the Lord calling me to do something, anything to help.  I will be researching existing charities and people that are working on this vast problem - it doesn't seem possible, but I think Africa is suffering even more than India. Jesus left us with the task of doing His work here on Earth - we must not allow this to happen any more.  There really is no excuse great enough to exempt us from helping these people. 

I will keep you posted the more I find out.  In the mean time, please pray - for more Christians to hear the cry of the poor, for the children living in complete squalor, for the strength to persevere, for Peace.

Joplin Update

Apparently, I don't have to do any organizing.  First Christian Church in Champaign is way ahead of me :)

First Christian Church collecting items to send to Joplin, Mo.

 

If you don't think you can make it out there, let me know and I'd be happy to drive it there for you. 

Joplin, MO - what we can do to help

Just read this from MSNBC:

"Joplin tornado:  How to help"

I sent the Joplin American Red Cross tan email to get a list of things they need.  If you are local here in Illinois, I'll be sending out an email letting you know what they need and organizational details.

From Jamaica - women trying to improve their lives, one rural village at atime

"We are promoting sustainable development in our communities by helping these women to develop the economy at the grass-roots level through farming horticulture and craft," Simms told The Gleaner.

Read the whole article here:

Charting a better path for St Bess women - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Saturday | May 7, 2011

Still looking for a Mother's Day gift?

Here's an idea:

Gifts sure to delight, restore the ability to dream

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
05/06/11
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (May 6, 2011) –"This Mother’s Day, celebrate your mom by giving her a gift that honors her legacy and improves the lives of mothers in developing countries. From child sponsorship opportunities, to milk-producing goats and sewing machines used for micro-enterprise, Food For The Poor’s online catalog is brimming with unique gift options for every budget."

Sounds like a great gift for the Mom who has everything and likes to give some of it away.  Wish I had seen this yesterday!

Disaster in the South - how to help

God, please bless the people suffering in the South in the wake of the devastating tornadoes.  Please help them to get back on their feet and bring them the Peace that only You can provide.  Amen.

Just got this email from the American Red Cross asking for donations to help the victims of the worst tornado outbreak in 40 years.  I don't think the "Donate Now" links will work in the following, but click HERE and it'll take you to their website.


 

Friend, Last night across the South, entire neighborhoods were demolished in the worst surge of tornadoes the U.S. has experienced in 40 years. In communities throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky and many other states, dozens of tornadoes are responsible for the reported deaths of over 200 people and officials expect that number to continue to rise. The Red Cross has sprung into action with nurses, mental health workers, and emergency response vehicles deployed immediately to assist those in need. Emergency response volunteers are on their way to the scene with 25,000 ready-to-eat meals. It is your support that allows us to be there with emergency food, supplies, shelter, and a hug. Give generously now. Nearly 2,700 people stayed in Red Cross shelters in 12 states last night. Towns, family homes, businesses and schools were destroyed – families had nowhere to go. For Alabama it is the largest sheltering effort by the Red Cross there since Hurricane Katrina. In just the state of Alabama as many as one million people are currently without power. The clean up and repair from this horrendous disaster will continue on for months to come. With thousands of Americans now homeless and many more without power, our work in the South will continue. Give generously to help your fellow Americans in need now: http://american.redcross.org/HelpSpringDisasters2011 We’ll be in touch with more details as our relief efforts in the South continue. Your generosity at this time is greatly appreciated, Charley Shimanski Sr. Vice President, Disaster Services American Red Cross P.S. Stay informed with all the latest disaster relief news by following the American Red Cross on Facebook and Twitter.

Cool new charity web site

Now here's a neat idea - now you can donate to a wide variety of causes with just one dollar a day.  From MSNBC: 

Donate $1 to new charity every day via website

Here is the link to the website Philanthroper.