"People are starving in Haiti," the teachers said. "But who really cares? Not me." She threw the paper on her desk and turned back to the white board to continue discussing how to divide polynomial functions.
"Actually," a student in the front row said. "I do."
This scene didn't happen, literally speaking. Metaphorically speaking, though, it is happening as we speak. I consider the student in the front row me (for the moment) and the teacher the world.
In the January 30th, 2008 issue of the Idaho Statesman, an article appeared called "Haiti's poor resort to eating dirt." It showed the picture of a mother in Haiti making dried mud cookies. Ingredients: clay from the central plateau, salt and vegetable shortening. One little girl told the paper that she sometimes had to eat them three times a day for meals.
Above this picture/article was this subheadline: "Countries, mostly Arab, have spent around $2.5 billion of the $15.8 billion they pledged for Iraq reconstruction."
Tell me, where's the justice?
The beauty of this site is that we get to do something about it. The first way is by talking about the problem and informing others. Please, send this blog on to other people so that they can come and read it and see what's going on in this world. It really is happening.
The second thing we can do is come up with our own projects, or help others with theirs. I'm starting an endevor to team up with Hope International (hopeinternational.com) to raise $50,000 by the end of this year to go towards microfinancing in Haiti. It will be done by asking every person in every church in my valley to donate one dollar to the project. I will then expand from there. The first proposal will hit the first church this weekend.
Here's what you can do: comment on here and leave some thoughts about how to make this project (or other projects) work. Many minds make things works better. Express your feelings at this injustice, but then help provide a solution.
Please. People's lives depend on it. Literally.
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Way to go. Keep going with this idea too. You will reach your goal, afterall it's just money. Money is easy to raise if your willing to put in the effort.
Your plan sounds solid. You should set up a way for others to donate as well. Do you have a main organization that random people on this blog (me) can donate to?
www.progressiveu.org/blog/americangirlinchina
I think there should be a way you can link to a paypal account and accept donations on-line from visitors. If you do, don't ask for on dollar, ask for something like $1.35 or something like that, because pay-pal charges 35 cents per donation or something like that. But, you can put a link up for it right here on this page, or link to something you have set-up with Hope International that people can click and donate to.
Great idea from both of you. I'll email the guy at Hope right now and ask about it. Any further advice about donations online? Any got an opinion about whether it should be paypal or right to Hope?
So where does the money go?
Great question. I'm glad someone finally asked...
It will go to an organization called Hope International.
Taken from the website:
"HOPE is a global, faith-based, 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization focused on poverty alleviation through microeconomic development. All donations to HOPE are tax deductible to the full extent of the law."
I'm going to attach two documents for examination. The one entitled AnnualReport07 is probably easier to read, but the other one is more in depth. Let me give a general overview of where and what to look for.
In AnnualReport07, go to pg. 22 and see a breakdown of where money comes from (pie chart on the left) and what projects it goes to (right). Go to page 24 and see where money goes by country. All these are in percents. Also, this page tells you that 100% of your donations goes to support programs.
Thank you for asking, and ask if you have anymore questions. If there are a lot more, let me know and I'll do a post in more detail, since that will be easier.
I could not make the document load. It is too big. Please go to this address
https://www.hopeinternational.org/page.aspx?id=107282
And click on "2007" under "Annual Reports" to see the report I spoke of in the last post.
Please use the reply link when responding to a comment. Thanks.
Go ask companies either for flat donations or for matching donations from people in your church or something.
~C
Check out the latest entry in the Between The Lines column!
Want the highest rated list to change? RATE those blogs, then!
I will make sure I do that. Thank you.
Micro-lending is a great way to actually make a discernible difference in the world. Giving $50,000 to a government would do nothing to feed people, but giving $50,000 to actual people...that will get them some food!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
So knowing that the Goal of this blog is to educate people, and churches, how many chuches do you want to aim at talking too?
Be safe, Shalom, with much Agape
luke 1:37
Gehvyn
The goal of the project is to talk to as many churches as possible. It's going to start in the Treasure Valley around Payette/Ontario. Then it will move to Boise. From there, who knows? It'd be nice to see a global participation. Yes global.