Welcome to the First Monday Fast, for the first Monday of 2009!
I’ve been pretty much off the computer the last two weeks or so, and I’m out of practice on how to write these blog things; anyway, here we go! I hope everyone has had a great holiday season and is ready for the new year.
And that brings us to the theme for this Monday and for the month of January: change. It only seems appropriate, considering the time of year, but I want to start by asking you who are reading this to join me in spending time in prayer and fasting today and consider what things God may calling you to do, how He is calling you to do those things, and what in you must change to meet His challenge. I would love to hear from everyone on this topic - comment on what you think it is God is calling you to in these coming days.
Over the rest of the month, I hope to be able to talk with some of you and with others about changes you have already made and the calls to which you have responded. I want to spend time telling personal stories; stories about how we have come to believe what we do and act the ways we do today. We all have gone through a process, a change in our hearts and our lives that has moved us from one place to another. The people who come around to Inspired to Action tend to be those whose hearts have been softened to the needs of God’s children and are looking for encouragement and ways to do more. I hope to be able to share some stories of people who have been through this transformation, of the little nudges that brought them to action in God’s name. Through the sharing of stories, perhaps we can find encouragement - remember, Elijah was just a man like any other.
I’m really looking forward to this month, and I’ll be sharing my own story in the coming days. Come back, and I promise not to make it too awfully boring to read! And thanks for joining us on the First Monday Fast!
Tags: First Monday Fast
“This Christmas, Congolese children will not only get toys as presents; they will get the right to live,” said Brazzaville’s Archbishop, Anatole Milandou.”..
“Indeed, in Congo, more than 12 per cent of children die before reaching age five, 80 per cent because of health problems that can be prevented or treated like malaria, diarrhea, respiratory infections, malnutrition and neonatal infections. While access to health services and essential commodities is critical, many life saving behaviors can be implemented by the caregivers themselves. For example exclusive breastfeeding for six months, sleeping under an insecticide treated mosquito net or hand washing can reduce child mortality by 13, seven per cent and three per cent respectively.
Ensuring caregivers, and particularly mothers, know and practice these behaviors is the whole purpose of the initiative. This means training 200,000 women and girls to use 12 simple, inexpensive, and easy to practice household behaviors, to prevent or treat diseases that kill most children in the Congo.”
No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
Merry Christmas, everyone. Posting will light here over the holiday’s. Be sure to come back on January 5th for the First Monday Fast.
euphrony
Tags: Compassion International, International Justice Mission, Jesus Greater Than
You’ve all heard me talk about International Justice Mission before, both here and on my personal blog. Last week, I was contacted and asked to participate in a teleconference with Gary Haugen, President and CEO of IJM. I posted some very rambling thoughts about the conversation last Friday night, which included Anne Jackson and two others from IJM. It was a short conversation, but hopefully just the first of many.
The conversation centered around (unsurprisingly) justice and how we can and should take action in response to injustice. Gary began by commenting on the oft-remarked instantaneous nature of the internet and communication today. It’s almost hard to believe if you’ve not lived through it, but Gary described the process of investigation and reporting of incidents from the late 1980’s - it involved flying to the area in question, asking questions and taking pictures, then returning home to review and develop the film, repeating this process several times to get all the information and pictures, then finally sitting down and trying to force a word processor to produce a report, and finally disseminating the report about 18 months later. Then the problem was that no one would buy the report, so the pictures were seen only by a few and the stories told briefly rather than read in detail. By contrast, today we can can a hundred pictures, reviewed immediately and posted at the hotel or in the field, along with a written summary. The information can be out within hours, not years, and made available for anyone, anywhere to review.
Read the rest of this entry »
FYI, I’ve posted this dually here on Inspired to Action and on my personal blog.
I had an interesting conversation with Gary Haugen this afternoon about IJM and talking about justice (also chatting were Anne Jackson and Bethany Hoang (blogger for the IJM Institute)). I’m still processing some thoughts, and will write more in the next few days. But, as I was driving in my car shortly afterwords, I picked up the mini-recorder I have and started talking to work through some of the thoughts. In an unusual move for me, I’m posting that as a one-time podcast here. You can listen below - it’s about seven minutes, and please pardon my sniffles.
Notes: village of brothels - see page two of the story
Slavery in the U.S.
girl and vulture photo
IJM: “CHILD SEX TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IMPRISONMENT”~ “PARAÑAQUE CITY, THE PHILIPPINES – At the conclusion of a year-long trial, two perpetrators were pronounced guilty of trafficking minors for sexual exploitation at the conclusion of a year-long trial. Both were sentenced to serve 20 years in prison, as well as pay a fine of P1 million (approximately $20,600 USD). The conviction is only the twelfth in the Philippines for this crime, and the second this year…This is a great example of how collaboration among the Department of Justice, law enforcement and the non-government organization sector can bring great results in the fight against trafficking,” explained Andal-Castro….’Let this be a warning also against human traffickers that their glory days are over, and that they must immediately stop. Whether here or abroad, the IACAT will not leave any stone unturned in its efforts to fight the crime of human trafficking,” Blancaflor said.”
Unicef:~ “Global measles deaths drop by 74 per cent”~ “Measles deaths worldwide fell by 74 per cent between 2000 and 2007, from an estimated 750 000 to 197 000. In addition, the Eastern Mediterranean region* which includes countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, and the Sudan has cut measles deaths by a remarkable 90 per cent — from an estimated 96 000 to 10 000 — during the same period, thus achieving the United Nations goal to reduce measles deaths by 90 per cent by 2010, three years early….This achievement is a tribute to the hard work and commitment of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region to combat measles,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “With only two years until the 2010 target date, I urge all countries affected by measles to intensify their efforts to immunize all children against the disease.”
The significant decline in measles deaths in the Eastern Mediterranean region was the result of intensified vaccination campaigns including several countries with hard-to-reach areas. In 2007, more than twice the number of children were immunized in the region through such campaigns as compared to 2006.
“There are thousands of health workers and volunteers from our Red Cross and Red Crescent family who deserve much of the credit for this success. They give their time to literally go door-to-door informing, educating and motivating mothers and caregivers about the critical need to vaccinate their children,” said Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman of the Board of the American Red Cross. “This mobilization helps us to consistently reach more than 90 per cent of the vulnerable population and save countless lives.”….The world’s success in reaching the 2010 measles goal depends on ensuring that all children receive two doses of measles vaccine including one dose by their first birthday, strengthening disease surveillance systems, and providing effective treatment for measles.”
Unicef:~ “More than 500 cholera deaths after water and health sector collapse in Zimbabwe.”~ “Zimbabwe is experiencing its worst cholera outbreak in recent years. More than 12,000 cases of cholera have been reported around the country. Thus far, approximately 565 people have died. UNICEF is providing emergency cholera kits to affected communities, as well as emergency water supplies, support to cholera treatment centres and petrol for Ministry of Water vehicles.”
Good morning and welcome to the second First Monday Fast here at Inspired to Action. Please consider giving a part of your day today to fasting and prayer for how God wants to to act in the world around you.
For the month of December we will be focusing on how we can make an impact in our local communities and how we can make a difference in how we live our own lives. In a world that has too often become more concerned with themselves and their own wants, sometimes with tragic results, it is good to to take time to refocus and refresh ourselves to see things better through God’s eyes.
Today I want us to talk about some local groups who are working to brings God’s hope to people in our own back yards. Feel free to leave a comment talking about something or someone in your community that is doing something to make a difference for the better. Below is a local group that my family and I have supported in recent years here in the north Houston area.
NAM (Northwest Assistance Ministries) is a local community service organization, and I am sure you have something like it in your area. It is a collaborative effort between some thirty churches in this part of Houston, along with various businesses supporters, which provides just about anything you can name to people who need it. Their programs include
- monetary assistance (to meet rent, etc.),
- a food pantry,
- a resale shop for low-cost clothing,
- meals on wheels,
- a children’s health clinic that charges on a sliding scale,
- shelter for the homeless,
- education and help in finding jobs,
- counseling, and
- a shelter for victims of family violence.
They, quite literally, do it all. NAM helped more than 100,000 area residents in need during its last fiscal year, with approximately $.87 of every dollar donated going toward helping people in need. Of the people NAM assisted, 51 percent were children and senior citizens.
NAM is a great organization, that helps so many people in our own back yard. They accept donations in just about any form, and need volunteers about as much as they need money. Look for someone like this in your neck of the woods, and help them help the people around you in need. But don’t stop with indirect help; reach out your own hand to the man on the corner and lift him up.
First, let me say please pardon the dust around here as we remodel I2A a little bit. Kat has been doing a great job with the upkeep of the site, and the change is going to be great. Thanks, Kat, for your work on this massive task.
Next, I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving this week (for those reading in the U.S.) and a happy week for everyone not celebrating Thanksgiving this week. Enjoy the turkey and football!
Finally, next Monday is the first Monday of the month, which means it is time for the First Monday Fast again. Tune in and join us in spending some time in prayer and fasting next Monday, December 1st. This past month we’ve been focusing on some very global issues; for December, and next Monday, we’ll be focusing on issues a little closer to home. We’ll be talking about how we can have an impact in our local communities through the holiday season - maybe have a guest blogger or two to give us some ideas.
So come back next Monday and join us again for the First Monday Fast!
The picture that inspired The 40 Day Fast has inspired Super Bowl winning NFL player to raffle off his Championship ring to help children.
Je’Rod Cherry, former defensive back, New England. Cherry, who played for New England, Philadelphia and New Orleans in a nine-year NFL career, is raffling his 2001 Patriots Super Bowl ring on Nov. 27 to raise money for children’s charities around the world. “I was moved by some pictures I saw of a child in Africa on his deathbed, and in the background waiting was a vulture, in essence, to consume him,’’ said Cherry, who lives in Ohio now. “What I saw there moved me to say, ‘What can I do to make a difference?’ What can I give sacrificially from myself to show I do have care and concern about this child’s predicament as well as other organizations that help people across the world?’’
Click here to read the original article.
Click here to learn more about the raffle.
~So. CAL Fires: “Collectively, the three wildfires have destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and burned more than 17,000 hectares of land.” ~ VOA News
“the wildfire, started Thursday, hours after 10 young adults left a private Santa Barbara County estate where they had gathered around a bonfire, Sheriff Bill Brown said.
The 10 apparently thought they had extinguished the bonfire Thursday morning, Brown said.
Brown said it doesn’t appear to be a malicious act, but that the case has been turned over to prosecutors to see whether criminal charges should be filed.”
~“Stepping Up to Help Montecito Fire Victims”; “Coping with the city’s most destructive fire in nearly 20 years, Santa Barbara organizations have stepped forward to help in some distinctive ways. Santa Barbara Bank & Trust Co. has announced that it will pay hotel bills tonight through Sunday night for people displaced by the blaze.. By midday, the bank had booked 130 rooms, many at the waterfront Hotel Mar Monte, and planned to issue dinner vouchers at Los Arroyos restaurants… “Some of our customers have lost their homes. Some of our employees have lost their homes,” said Leis, who added that the bank would offer its customers emergency lines of credit and cash advances. Direct Relief International, a locally based aid group that works abroad in 59 countries, was handing out face masks from a table shaded by sycamore trees in a Santa Barbara park… As ash wafted through the air, Stevens said she was grateful to live in a place where neighborly gestures during hard times are commonplace..”
Ways You Can Help:
~ Donate clothing to Good Will.
~ Donate money to the Red Cross of LA.
~ Donate your Time.
~ Most of all Pray!