Both of my parents called me from New Orleans today, to express their concerns about the new hurricane approaching the city.

The family home where I grew up (not much to look at, but still) was lost in Katrina, and an empty lot now sits where it stood. Every time I go home for Christmas, I see an eerie half-ghost town where the colorful city I loved used to exist.

One of the things I hear repeated over and over in forums devoted to overseas charity is:

“But what about the people here at home?”

My answer is always the same:

“What about them? Yes, they need your help. Help them. Send aid. Volunteer time. ”

Fortunately, helping people in the U.S. and helping people in other countries is NOT a mutually exclusive proposition.

(Heifer International, for example, helps people in the U.S. just as they do people in other countries.)

There’s lots of love to go around.

The environment. International aid. Domestic aid. Animal rights. Government reform. Healthcare issues of all kinds.

They’re all just different pieces of the puzzle.

Pick a piece.

and they were facebook causes too. word has been out for a while.

ginny, so glad there was a great turnout, and awesome to see the children taking part as they were. the way to develop future lobbyists and activists are to bring them along side us. in seattle, a child write to a congressman about a specific piece of legislation at one of our meetings, and get a personal response back (many of the congressmen are fathers and grandfathers themselves and do respond), the child treasures the letter and a trip to school to show and tell and do a lot to way-lay cynicism in their future. We had children in Congressman Larsen’s office in DC this year and he was great with them.

i’m looking forward to the videos, sounds like things are going great in Denver, i’m watching a few blogs of friends there, fun stuff.

ONE could use their own network, wasn’t sir bob working on a tv network possibility for a while? the network coverage can get on a person’s nerves. we need a proactive, positive, coexistent one. where issues are front and center. how cool would that be?

now, i hope some of those volunteers come back and help shovel up and bag those pennies for the next convention. i’d love to be a fly on the wall at the weigh station when they pull through!!! =P

staying close,

sammi =)

Probably the most important part of these kits will actually NOT be the sanitary articles contained within them but the notes from those who assembled the kits to the caregivers. The sense of knowing that they are not forgotten by the world nor are they alone in their situation will ultimately be more healing for them and those that they care for than all the petroleum jelly in the world.(smile)

I know……..I’ve been there and I’ve done that. Bless you, World Vision and all the volunteers who just gave a lot of people a sense of renewed hope for their futures. ~

ONE HEART, ONE HOPE, ONE VOICE, ONE LOVE – debbie
http://www.mpwn-uganda.org